Fire Emblem Fates Redux (Demon Edition)
by Starknight 'Renegade
Summary: Demon has been given a second chance to save both families, after being defeated in his past life. Now new faces come through a forgotten destroyed land, to aid in his quest, including a new brother. Writers: -Starnight'Renegade -LyokoDragon15
1. A Second Chance

Demon had literally no idea where he was at the moment. He recalled getting ready to lay siege to Garon's castle for the last fight in Nohr and then... nothing? "I told her it would come to this..." An older voice sighed from behind the rebel king. "But she didn't listen... and now the worst possible outcome has come to pass..."

"What...where am I?" Demon winced feeling injured from... everywhere.

"A space I segregated for just this moment... no one can access this place without my help," the Rainbow Sage explained. "As for your pain... it involves something I'm not proud of doing but needed to for your sanity."

" _ **You!"**_ Demon attempted to draw his Yato blade.

"Calm yourself... you asked for this, young King," the Sage sighed, a door appearing not too far away. "Allow me to... fill in the gap a little. Not long after you readied yourself for the battle against your father, your child was kidnapped. Your attempt to spilt your forces to rescue her and fight at the same time backfired miserably. Three warriors, and only three warriors, ruined both parties and killed everyone. And I do mean everyone."

A painful flash came striking back as a memory, leaving Demon to hunch over. All the pain and distress had returned. "How?!" Demon snapped at the Rainbow Sage.

The older man sighed as he recalled the memory. "Funny enough, because of a fear Pam herself had. One of those warriors was not supposed to be there due to her intervention. I, however, saw his arrival for many reasons. Rage. Research brought to fruition, albeit only slightly..."

"You know of Pam?" Demon asked the Rainbow Sage, as he straightening his form.

"There are... few like myself," the Rainbow Sage started to explain. "People who can see the outcomes of time. I spoke to her before she enacted her plan and she refused my advice, confident in her plan. As you can see... she failed. Horribly."

"Refused? She set back time... with some sort of item..." Demon winced as screams of memories continued to flood his mind.

The sage sighed and repressed them again. "I can remove those... ending memories if you like. However, explanations come first."

"No... keep them, I need to avoid their deaths." Demon explained. "What am I doing here?" Demon asked the Rainbow Sage.

"Going back. Like I offered some time ago." The old man opened the door, showing an image of young Damon on the beach.

"This... Going back again?" Demon asked him.

"Yes... without Pam's intervention. Thus, you'll have the people you should have in the war to help you and neigh ensure victory."

"Wait!" Pam's voice echoed the eternal abyss. She appeared in a flash, breathing heavily.

"I already told you child," the Rainbow Sage sighed, irritation in his voice.

"Stop... If you just go back in time right now, the Dark One is going to detect it... I know what you're trying to do, I cut off a part of the time to protect him from his full power... if we're going to do this... we need to do it right or the Dark One and all his minions will have full memory." Pam coughed out.

The old man gave her a glare that made her shudder. "Really now? Because the last time you said that, you did the cut in guestion, and look what happened! He won! Your plan didn't work at all!" Power seeped from the old man, making both stagger. "You know nothing of how this works."

"Don't patronize me, I've been doing this for more than you can comprehend." Pam warned him with a stern voice.

"Yes..." The sage locked her in place with a spell that rivaled her Uncle's power. Not as great, but close. "But you forget. I've been doing it for far longer."

"Here in this realm but outside in the ultimate existence of space and time? I have help... " Pam glared.

"Would you rather I ask her to do it then? And risk a merger that shouldn't exist?" The Rainbow Sage spat.

"ENOUGH! Would you two stop arguing and just fix this... " Demon growled at the two of them.

The Rainbow Sage brushed off his robes and motioned to the door. "This way. I've already ensured it won't be detected by the Dark One and his minions. Well... except for one. But that will ultimately be Pam's problem."

"I need to cast a protection spell over the realm... The Dark One will be ignorant of Demon's actions for a time... but the more he does, the more he'll be aware that he knows more than he should..." Pam informed the two.

The Rainbow Sage gave her a foul look. "Yes. Because you can stem the flow of memories to someone as powerful as your uncle when you've barely dabbled in the art. Someone with his will, his mind? It will be immediate, with or without your spell. And don't flatter yourself. I was about to explain the conditions of going back before you barged in here." The old man looked to Demon and sighed. "In order for you to go back, I must suppress your memories. Not just for the sake of remaining hidden, but for your own sake as well. That many memories being changed at once in such a young vessel... it would kill you immediately otherwise."

"Will the memories come in if I know a person? Like past memories?" Demon asked, seeing that his mind is still intact.

"Yes... but only if it the face matches to a certain extent. For example, you won't recall everything with Camilla for years, same with all of your lovers from Nohr. And we needn't worry about Hoshido until that fateful day."

"What's different about this timeline?" Demon asked the two.

"… Well? Are you willing to admit your error then, Pam?" The Rainbow Sage asked. "Or should I tell him instead?"

"There was no error... only lapse in judgement... from outsides sources..." Pam huffed.

"And the difference is?" The Sage asked before turning back to Demon. "She warded away some very beneficial people and had a hand in the murder of someone who would have been very dear to you... Your younger brother."

"Leo?" Demon asked.

"… Please tell me that's a joke. He was with you in the fight this time around. But, I suppose you can be excused for the confusion. After all-"

"He has no recollection of it, I cut him off to cut Dahs from the realm, since he had no knowledge of the foundation." Pam explained.

The old man's rage neared its peak. "Child, I will eject you so that you're in front of your cousin if you don't shut your mouth! ...Your younger blood brother, Damon. As in the born from the same womb as you were, same parents, everything. He would have been your true brother."

"I told you I needed a plan of action, he's starting to operate differently now!" Pam snapped at the Rainbow Sage. "Everything I do, I did for him! For everyone! I didn't ask for this! I was forced in to it!" Pam snapped as her flame aura ignited.

"I'm sorry, but can we address the fact that he just said you had a hand in his murder when you, in your terms, 'cut him off?'" Demon asked. "Care to explain that?"

"I prevented his existence, I didn't murder... think of it as an Alternate Reality." Pam explained.

"… Ignoring the fact you dodged your hand in the death of a toddler, what happened was that, at one point, your brother was attacked with his family at the time. She did something minor that tripped up his guard, and the young boy ended up dead because of it. Thus 'preventing his existence.'"

"There are plenty of realities where he does or does not exist... it's why I forward his being to a reality he doesn't... I did what I had to do to protect him... if Demon died already then none of this would matter..." She defended her actions.

"Ignoring the fact that he's instrumental in making the campaign much easier and more efficient in every one he does exist due to both his mind and powers. Yeah. Really good 'protection' there."

"Dahs was cut off for a time... "

"And as you saw, he managed anyway. Regardless of my warning he did."

"After Anak gave him the intel..." She warned him.

"No. Because his research is going to plan, as I told you it would," the Sage bit back. "And you're running out of places to hide because of it."

"Dad... listen, take what he says with a grain of salt, he wants to be brought back in a form again.." She warned her father.`

"Honestly? I and others like me can never truly 'die' in a sense. We come back regardless. My coming back in a form from your father's blood was simply a way of ensuring that 'me' would not die as easy."

"And I told you I'd kill you if I met you like this again..." He reminded him, seeing as the plan to ensure his survival of his loved ones.

The sage sighed. "This has gone on long enough. First of all, you asked me to come, and I did. Altering your memories had the side effect of forgetting that."

"How convenient for you..." Demon said to the Sage.

"There's no such thing as convenience..." Pam said crossing her arms across her chest, giving the sage a glare.

The old man massaged his temples. "Fine. You want the real reason? I'm no expert on this myself and suppressed too much of that, and he forgot. Honestly, you know the true masters of the mind, Pam. Ria's skills in particular far exceed my own and she would have done it perfectly. But all of this is pointless, because he'll forget this happened-"

 _ **"I̡͍̗̘̒ͯ̏̌ ̖̱̎ͧͤͧ͠s͖̼̯̪͚̺͛ͫ͐̾ͧͥ͢͢͠e̢ͧ̂ȩ̪̳͗͂̈́ ̷͍̲͛ͮͮ̒͋̾̏̓y̆o̶͉̟͝u̦͖͓̠͊̏͛ͩ̈,̢̡̥̣́ͩ̀ͬ̔ͬ̀.̷̟̞̻̖̱̪̊̑̈́ͨ̄̕͜.̷̣͎͎̯̎ͭ̇̿̈̓͠.̢͛.̿̈́.̣̹̝̥̯̖̍ͨͦ͞.̳͇ͫ͋̀.̨̢̝̰̌͊̂.̲ͬ."**_

Pam and the Rainbow sage looked up hearing the voice. "Dad the portal now!" Pam screamed as she sent a light out. The Rainbow Sage shoved the rebel king in and slammed the door as darkness attempted to swallow them.

 _ **SH̶̷̡̡̧̛̥̥̟̖̭̗̃ͤ͒͒͋́̀̒̅̾̎̂̊̓͢͢A͕̬̫͔͍̤ͫ̉̂ͧD̮̗͍̄͛ͪ͏̝̗͗͌̅̓͞ ̶̡̫̗̯̉͌ͪͨ͒̅̃͒ͤͫ͟͞S̸̨̛̗̱̹̱͍̗̆̈́̓ͤ̈͜T̴̴̩͉͍̜̫̆̌ͧ̀ͬ̓̉ͅO̡͖̝͍̤ͨ̃ͧͮ̌̾́͝͞P̝̟͌̾̚͘ ̩͚͆̏͘T̨̧͕̥̭ͅḨ̗̮ͥ͞E̴̵̛͇̣̠̘͚͉̺͉͎̱̤̻̹͇̞͋̈́͛́͆͒́̀̊ͬ͐̀̚̚͟M̸̹̼ͧ͋̄͒ͯ̏̉̓!̟͕̥̭̥͔͗̊̄̇ͮͭ͝҉̵̤̭̗̤̏͒̒̐̐̏ͨ̊͟҉**_

"… Too late... but I remember everything now..." The spymaster growled, his eyes locked on Pam.

"You won't in a few minutes!" Pam yelled out as she summoned a bright oval like sphere, as time began to slow down.

A black creature lept up and stopped the spell. "No no... You don't get to leave yet..." Dahs growled as his pet dragged the girl over. "I'm going to make you _**suffer**_ for what you did..."

"Another time wretched creature!" Pam snapped summoning a curved dagger of his design and stuck it in his left leg, before disappearing in a white smoke.

"Gah!... Little whore..." Dahs growled as he pulled it out. "It won't matter... The other me will remember soon enough..."

A moment after Demon was shoved in to the gate way, reality began to warp and reverse, as the light began to consume the entire abyss.

/" _It's not much... but, because of our actions, The Dark One and his followers will be unaware of what took place... just like that time on the beach, but be careful... the more you do, the more they'll find out that something took place and quickly subvert you... Good luck...Dad..."_ \\\

Damon's head pounded as he picked himself off the sand, blood pouring from his fresh wound. "Damon!" Camilla shouted as she rushed over to the injured child, a cloth already in hand. "Oh Gods, are you okay?!" Camilla had tears already streaming down her cheeks, she drew a sharp glare at Xander for a mid second. Xander already was already kneeling down to examine his wound. The pain didn't even bother him... that or he was still in shock of what just happened. Camilla gently shook Damon after she wiped away the blood from his face on her third handkerchief. "Damon?" Camilla said gently causing him to snap out of his trance.

"What happened?" Damon asked the two, seeing as it all went blank when the blade shattered. Leo stood in between Xander and Camilla.

"Ouch... a little closer and that would've taken your eye." Leo remarked, followed by Camilla slapping Leo upside the head. Elise rushed past Xander and Leo grabbing a hold of Damon hugging him tightly.

"Damon's hurt!" Elise cried. Damon moved his right hand on the wound seeing the blood on it, he just sat there in silence, a slight frown formed on his mouth in place of the sobbing.

 _ **Well...not a fond memory...**_

* * *

 _ ***Seven years later***_

"Damon," Garon stated, bringing the 15-year-old out of his trance.

"Yes Father?" Damon asked his father.

"I have a couple people I'd like you to meet." A pair of twins walked through the door and stood at either side of the king. One had vibrant pink hair, while the other had an icy blue."To my right is Felicia. To my left, Flora. They are to be your maids and assistants from this day forth."

Damon's eyes widened seeing _**them...**_ his heart was practically ramming outside of his chest with ferocity. Memories of passionate nights, moments funny and sad flooded his head, all leading up to a dull pained screaming from them both. But despite some being clear, mainly when he was alone with them, many were clouded... like something or someone was missing. "…..Thank you father..." Damon bowed his head in respect.

"… To reiterate, my name is Flora, and this is my younger twin Felicia," the blue haired girl said in a slight monotone as she bowed. "Please take care of us, Master Damon."

"Well... I'll make my way to the Northern Fortress father... unless there is anything else?" Damon asked Garon.

The old king frowned. It was a certain day in October, the 31st to be precise. For some odd reason, the young prince always remembered it to be a somber day for the whole family, but he didn't know why. "Nothing. Your siblings and I are off to the cemetery for the next few hours. Gunther will be guiding you back today." The king of Nohr turned and left, leaving Damon confused. This didn't happen last time. Xander brought him back and they trained after they returned before the Crown Prince had to go home.

"Are you ready to leave, young prince?" Gunther asked, standing at the door diligently as his old friend left.

"… Yeah..." Damon replied hesitantly before following the veteran out, his new maids following him closely.

Damon would return to his keep sitting on the bed while his new maids worked... well, one was trying her best, while the other one was falling all over the place. "Hey, Flora... did the King seem... off to you?" Felicia asked her sister, narrowly avoiding dropping some linens.

"… It's clear he's lost someone dear to him. Today is likely that person's birthday or death day," the older twin replied, folding the sheets somewhat neatly before storing them in a chest. "Our new master probably knows more than me." She grabbed a wicker basket and left the room to get more laundry, leaving the two alone.

"….." A spark of... some sort of odd memory that was unfamiliar of the talks of another prince that was lost, began to appear in his mind. "Father... apparently... had another child," he explained to Felicia. "Today is his birthday if the rumors are to be believed."

"Woooow... big sister is so smart!" Felicia gushed as she continued her work, or at least attempted to.

 _ **Another prince? Could that be that blood brother the Rainbow Sage was talking about?**_

* * *

 _ ***Three years later***_

Damon was lifting more than two hundred and fifty pounds of weight under his work out bench, stressing his muscles to capacity, while turning red from each number he broke from lifting the weight. "Oh, Damon darling!" Camilla called out to him, making him put the weight down.

Damon began to reclaim lost memories of Camilla very recently as well, making him near unable to confront his true feelings as he was still recording on what he has reclaimed in his mind. "Yeah?" Damon yelled back.

"There's a person Xander, Leo and I want you to meet! Come, she's in the hall." Camilla pulled Damon to his feet and playfully held him close to her as she guided him to the hall. While this would have aroused him in any other situation, a more pressing question was teasing at his mind.

"Please Camilla no more surprises, the last surprise was a surprise bath..." Damon silently cried seeing that was two years ago.

"Oh, don't worry my little prince... she's actually a really nice girl... or so Selena says."

 _ **Wait... wait... who? I don't remember this.**_

Damon became skeptical of what or who this person he was being introduced to. "Well okay, then let me do the walking, I don't need you to push me for embarrassment sakes.." Damon complained.

"Ooooh, you're no fun," Camilla mock pouted as they came up to the door to the hall, the older princess releasing her 'little brother' before opening the large wood structure.

A woman with deep blue hair was chatting with Selena, Odin and Laslow. She was dressed in light, navy blue cloth armor with a cape and thigh high boots and had a strange sword at her side. Not Nohrian craft, but similar, with a large gap in the guard in and odd shape.

 _ **Who...is she?**_

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh...hi?" Damon asked seeing as he had no recollection of this woman.

Her somewhat cheery demeanor disappeared as she rose, her face becoming sterner as she met the gaze of the young prince. "Greetings. You must be Prince Damon. My name is Lucina, and I shall be the keeps Captain of the guard from this day forth."

"Who?" Damon asked looking to Camilla for support, seeing as he never heard of her.

"She claims to be from a far-off land... the Outrealms, apparently," the Nohrian princess explained.

"Was she...uh...properly vetted?" Damon murmured to Camilla.

"That's why we're assuming the Outrealms. She has no history in Nohr or Hoshido, but these three claimed that she's an old friend so we're trusting her for the time," the purple haired woman informed him.

 _ **I want to say no... but, I have a feeling she's alright.**_

"…. Fine, you got the job I guess, sorry for the skepticism but...foreigners don't like Nohr very much...Gods knows why. " Damon sighed.

"I could give you a demonstration, if you want," she offered, resting a hand on the pommel of her blade. "A quick spar to show my skills?"

"With who?" Damon asked Lucina.

"I heard you're the strongest person in the building."

"Yeah but I just worked out, so I'd be probably at a disadvantage." Damon gave her a look.

"I'm sure I can fight her," Gunther offered.

"Go crazy." He backed up by Camilla's left side.

Lucina drew her blade and inhaled slightly as Gunter took out his spear. "Shall we move this outside? I fight better on my horse and I wish to properly gauge your skills," the old veteran requested.

"By all means," Lucina nodded, her face blank as everyone went outside. As Gunther whistled for his horse, Selena finally felt the need to speak up.

"Uh, Gunter... I don't think that's a good idea..." This drew an odd look from Damon. Since when did she try to stop a fight?

"It's fine, Se-Selena," the blue haired woman stated as she readied herself.

"Wait you knew her?" Damon asked Selena from behind her.

"Knew her? I fought in the same battle she did. Same as Odin and Laslow." Both men nodded at her statement.

Damon's left eye twitched a couple times. "Why couldn't you just have vouched for her then? 'Selena'?" Damon said as he knew that wasn't her original name.

"She's... changed... and I'm scared to think what the others like if this is what happened to Lucina." All three retainers shivered, and it likely wasn't for anything good.

"Are you ready yet?" Lucina droned as Gunter finished prepping herself.

"An anxious lass, are you? Very well. En guard!" Gunter snapped the reigns of his horse, spurring it forward to meet he blue haired woman. She waited until the moment he lanced at her to move, slipping out of the way seamlessly before landing a hearty strike on his side with a leaping slice. She wasted no time in her next attack, her blade shimmering for a moment before she called out her next attack.

"Aether!" Another leaping strike made her body glow slightly, while the next hit slashed through the horse, seeming to somewhat ignore the armor.

 _ **Why do I not have any recollection of her? It's like she was never supposed to be here... yet here she is? Should I be cautious around her?**_

Lucina let out a cry as the silver lance licked her skin, the horse bucking her away. "Impressive... for one that uses a sword, you do decent damage," Gunter praised as he readied his next attack. But something seemed off about the woman now. Like her aura had been raised to a whole new level.

"You underestimate me... if you think that was enough to do me in," she growled, picking herself and her blade off the ground.

"Hooo boy..." Odin sighed, knowing exactly where this was going.

Damon just watched how she moved and operated, she was near expert with very little room for error.

 _ **She is pretty good...**_

And then, it happened. Out of nowhere, there was a serious look in her eyes as her blade was readied. "You will not stop me!" With a vicious slash, she cleaved the leg off of Gunter's horse, forcing him to tumble off as the falling beast. Before he realized what was happening, she slammed the blade next to his head, digging the point into the ground. "… Where I'm from, this is a sign that we've won the spar. Unless you'd like to continue without a horse?"

… _ **. Gods...**_

Gunter sighed and let out a smile. "I concede. Only, I wish that you had left my horse alive," the old veteran chuckled as he picked himself off the ground.

"I learned long ago not to hold back. No matter the cost," Lucina stated coldly, swinging her blade to rid it of blood before sheathing it.

"Well it looks like you have the job." Damon nodded, while turning to his friends and retainers.

"Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get a guard rotation started and begin my training." Lucina turned on her heel and went into the keep, leaving a slight chill in her wake. And unlike the twin maids, this wasn't brought on by magic.

"Ahem... well if you have any more...surprises Camilla, now would be the time." Damon said to Camilla.

"Nothing else. Now then, we must be getting home." She planted a playful kiss on his cheek and smiled. "See you later, my darling prince. Laslow, Odin, Selena." The three bowed before beginning to follow her to the carriage across the keeps bridge.

"Uh...bye?" Damon sighed as he made his way towards his fortress, but before he did, he yanked Selena's pigtails. "What's her beef?" Damon asked his protector.

"Ow! First of all, never pull a girl's hair. I'd have hurt you for that if you weren't Lady Camilla's brother," Selena growled, rubbing the spot where her hair was pulled gingerly.

"You wouldn't hurt me. You... loooovvveeee me too much to hurt me." Damon teased Selena causing her to pause, hearing that.

"Tch. As if. Anyway... about Lucina..." The red head's tone turned somber as old memories were dragged up. "Well... you remember that battle I told you about, right? The one Odin, Laslow and I were part of too?"

Damon recalled. "Must've been big and important..."

Selena nodded. "It was... And honestly? It hurt all of us. Some far more than others..."

 _ **Why didn't she talk about this before? Like she mentioned her homeland before...but it was very vague.**_

"Tell me... Have you ever heard of Naga and the Fell Dragon, Grima?" Selena asked.

"Nope." Damon shrugged his shoulders.

"Where we're from, they were considered gods. Only Grima was far more evil and malevolent. That fight I told you about? It was with Grima. She's seen that battle twice now... we both have. I'll explain the specifics later if you want, but just... bear with me. Near the end, all of our friends and loved ones were getting ready to kill the Fell Dragon. But his power... it was simply too great. We suffered heavy losses to our main army early on, leaving only the officers left to kill him."

"…...Why does that sound familiar...?" Damon asked rubbing his head, feeling a vague and clouded vision enter his mind.

"At the end of it, all of us were battered in bruised. Lucina's father... King of Ylisse, ordered us all to run while he slayed the dragon. But all of us refused. Lucina, his wife, sister, and his most trusted friend more than the others. But his friend in question was a powerful mage. In an effort to protect us, he sealed us in a spell that repelled everything... even time. But we could all see what was happening from within. So many of us tried to break that barrier to help them, to protect the people we loved. But those who were outside the spell were forced to help... and that number is far greater than I'd care to admit... my parents included."

A frown was placed on Damon's face hearing that. "I'm sorry... I didn't know." Damon said with a monotone voice.

"It's fine. I've learned to cope. But Lucina... out of everyone, I think she and one other person took it far worse. She blamed herself for being weak. Unable to help them more, even with her bloodline. From that day on, she became obsessed with getting stronger so it would never happen again. But if I'm being honest? I think she lost two men she loved on that day. And that's why she was so torn up over the issue. Her father, and his best friend. His army's tactician; The Grandmaster, Robin. And you know... out of everyone, we all expected at least one of them to live. That is, until Naga confirmed our fears. Robin landed the killing blow on Grima. It tore us all to pieces hearing that. Even more so when we found a few feathers and his primer at the sight of the clash."

"So what brought you here under Camilla's care?" Damon asked Selena.

"Originally, it was to find people to help us rebuild Ylisse. But... something came up..."

"You had to realize we're at a cold war with Hoshido right?" Damon asked the retainer.

"Uh... yeah... that..." Selena shifted, knowing that wasn't the whole story.

Damon could see this was a conversation leading to... painful memories. "I...listen you don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to bring up the past, I rather not bring up my past mistakes...heh.." Damon tried to force a smile.

"No, it's fine. But if you have any questions, I suggest you ask now, I can't keep Lady Camilla waiting any more than I have already," Selena assured him.

There was one question pricking at Damon's mind. "That man... Robin was it? Why did landing the final blow on Grima confirm something that you all were afraid of?"

Selena sighed, figuring this would be a question. "It's complicated, but to put it bluntly? He was part of Grima that got amnesia. He didn't have much of the Fell Dragon's power, but enough to use it against him to actually kill him. But doing so killed Robin too due to their connection."

Damon was concerned about the threat they were facing in her homeland."But was the threat stopped?"

"Yes. For good. Had Chrom finished it, Grima would have only been sealed, but Robin would have lived. What Robin did? It was so we could live the rest of our days in peace... happy..." Tears rimmed her eyes at the fond memories. "That damn idiot... always putting us before himself..."

 _ **Who does that sound like...? I have a feeling that fate is fucking with me... because I'd do the same damn thing.**_

Selena sniffled and brushed the tears away. "Alright... I need to get back to Lady Camilla and the others. And uh... Damon?" She hugged the man, a move that shocked him slightly. "Thanks. For listening, I mean. It feels good to finally get that off my chest."

"….. Uh you know, weren't you ordered to watch me?" Damon asked as he was trying to find a nice way of asking to hang out with him, to get her mind off of her duties.

"Heh... Yeah. But Lady Camilla is getting Beruka and I new weapons when we return... but maybe we can hang out when I get back?" She offered with a small smile. "It was nice to just chat, you know? Hell, I can clear up some of the confusing parts of that story too if you want."

"Oh no, I rather not have a Red head Tsundere beating the absolute _**Fuck**_ out of me." Damon laughed rubbing the back of his neck.

Selena looked at him in confusion and slight rage. "Damon... what's a Tsundere?"

 _ **(._. ) … Oooooooh Fuck.**_

"Um... don't you have to go report to Camilla?" Damon asked trying to change the subject.

Selena stared for a moment before stomping on his foot, her steel unimpeded by the cloth and leather. "That's for the-"

* _ **Crack***_

The two stopped hearing the crack in his bone. "...ow..." Damon said feeling the muscle and bone splinter.

"I uh... see you!" Selena fled into the carriage before Camilla could figure out just what the extent of the damage she caused was.

Damon made a slow limp as his right foot was recovering from the blow of the 'Tsundere' stomp.

 _ **Dear Journal, today I made a girl mad... side note, wear protective boots from now on.**_

* * *

 _ ***3 years later***_

Damon just finished polishing his blade, mentally preparing himself for what was to come in a few more months. That fateful battle at the Border Canyon. The door creaked open revealing Camilla, as she smiled seeing Damon working on the blade that Xander had given him. "You know...knocking was invented for the purposes of doors?" Damon said to his sister, while getting up to put his blade by his bed side.

"My apologies, my sweet little brother, but... we have more visitors like Lucina..." She announced.

"More?" Damon asked, seeing as last one was just as precarious.

"Afraid so..." Gunter winced. Ever since Lucina took over, the keep had never been more well-fortified and everyone was, dare they say it, happy while well trained. But gods help you if you pissed her off. "Five of them this time. It took Lucina's word to keep one of them from being killed on the spot based on his appearance."

Damon looked at Camilla with a bit of skepticism. "Where are all these canny officers coming from? Don't tell me the same place as the last one?" Damon asked Camilla.

"… Please don't make me lie..." The older sister sighed.

 _ **You got to be shitting me...**_

"Fuck me..." Damon face palmed himself.

"As much as I'm sure she'd _love_ to, you have guests waiting for you," Lucina stated, standing at the door to the hall.

 _ **Don't be coy 'sister' I know you have been leering at me for years...**_

Damon just gave Camilla a look. "...Right..."

It was, to be frank, tense in the hall when Damon opened the door this time. A red haired thief was sucking on a lollipop and relaxing in a chair, dressed up in usual outlaw garb and had a few lollipops strapped on a belt around his chest and candy in his pockets, a Hoshidan looking swordsman with short black hair was practically daring the guards to attack again, and a green haired woman that was trying to ignore the tension in the air. She was wearing mostly red and pink to boot, Damon noticed. Her gloves, thigh high boots and dress were red, while her cape, sash, glove cuffs and what looked like a garterbelt were pink. She wore gold cuffs under her gloves, and her hair was held in place by a gold ornament with a red jewel hovering between the prongs, and her hair was tied up in the back with a red ribbon. He also noticed that dress was more like a corset with how short is was, how much thigh she was showing off, and how it hugged her slightly above average breasts.

 _ **Right... this is... wait. Is that...a ….chick with... bunny ears?!**_

Damon started to suppress a snorting laugh before turning around resting his head in between Camilla's chest. He felt something drag him away and pin him to the floor, along with the faint pressing of claws on his back. "One does not laugh at a taguel..." A woman's voice stated.

"Sssskkk...PFFFF HAHA! AHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAH!" Damon let loose a barage of painful laughs, from imagining before she turned in to a vicious... beast.

"I suggest you stop, Prince," the man with the candy advised. "She bites. Hard."

"I can't! HAHAHAHAHAH! I never knew those type of beast shifters existed! Wolfskins sure...but, bunnies?! " Damon continued to find it funny as the claws were still in his back.

"She has literally torn entire armies to shreds on her own. I suggest you stop," the samurai warned him. "Her claws will sever your spine if you don't."

 _ **Bitch I have dragon like abilities.**_

"Okay... Okay...enough play time... off we go..." Damon grunted as he placed his hands to the floor before slowly lifting himself up off the floor.

The rabbit sighed and removed her foot before changing back. "Pardon the rudeness, but being the literal last taguel has left me more than a little... defensive of my race." Her hair and eyes were as brown as her fur as the giant rabbit, with white ears. Her skin, while still considered white, was noticeably tanner than her companions. And, now that Damon noticed it, she had fur on her wrists in the shape of cuffs, and some around her waist as well. Or was it an article of clothing that looked like fur covering her lower regions? Regardless, she also had a tail, and her more than slightly revealing purple armor seemed made for when she transformed.

"Who would slaughter such lovable...bun...rabbit...beast...shifters?" Damon asked breathing out and controlling his breath from laughing.

"The Fell dragon, hunters, slavers..." The red-haired man listed off. "Need I go on, Red?"

"Are you sure there aren't any... rabbit sanctuaries? Like...under ground?" Damon asked seeing as rabbits were subterranean dwellers.

"We lived in the forests," the woman rebuttled.

"What were you suicidal, rabbits don't live up on the surface... they dwell beneath it for protection." Damon argued.

"… You realize you're talking to a _woman_ who transforms into one, right? Not the actual creature?" The woman pointed out.

"Did that help your kind against the Fell Dragon?" Damon asked a factual question.

"Would it have been any better underground when it caused earthquakes when it landed?"

Damon shrugged. "Well usually surface buildings are the first to collapse..."

"Moving on from that," the soft spoken green haired woman interjected, not wishing for hostilities.

"Are you an elf?" Damon asked.

"Manakete. I turn into a dragon," she explained.

"Can I have my wish?" Damon asked.

"Jokes too? What don't you have, Red?" The candy sucking man asked.

"Well I've been known to be spoon fed by Camilla a lot... I drink? I fight... and I lift a lot of poundage..." Damon was listing the stuff he has been through.

"Fun. I literally steal candy from babies," the red haired man smirked.

"You're...a ...sick...fuck..." Damon gave him the Demonic stare.

"Um... introductions are in order, I believe," the green haired woman stated. "I'm Tiki, the Voice of Naga. The man you're talking to now is Gaius, Panne is the taguel, and the man with the sword over there is Lon'qu."

Damon scratched the back of his scalp. "The voice of who?"

Tiki almost looked offended before remembering Lucina's talk with her. "Right... you don't know of her... she's a divine figure where we're from."

"Yeah...my father literally worships a dragon statue circle thing above him...so...faithful differences I suppose."

"So the same basic thing," Lon'qu pointed out. "We know nothing of your divinity either."

"I could give two shits about them, just saying." Damon was very blunt about it, seeing he has ran in to painful experiences with now deity like help.

Tiki cleared her throat before continuing. "We have two others, but they were more interested in... other things when they came here," she explained. "A Wyvern Rider, Cherche, and a Dark Mage, Tharja. Tharja immediately started to set up her own little room and Cherche wanted to see how you took care of wyverns here."

"Hey Camilla?" Damon asked for the Nohrian Princess.

"Yes, Damon?" She asked.

"If every one of my siblings have violet eyes... why do I have red eyes?" Damon asked his 'sister'.

"Partial albino?" Gaius asked jokingly, taking out another lolli.

"My stubble would be white asshole. Sorry short today, had nothing to eat, not your fault." Damon apologized.

"No problem. I'm more interested in seeing if you guys have work for us," the man shrugged.

"What... is it you all do again?" Camilla asked sweetly.

 _ **Besides being fucking canny...**_

"I'm a thief, Lon'qu is a Myrmidon, Whiskers is a rabbit girl, and Tiki is a dragon," Gaius explained.

 _ **Note to self, tell Beruka to keep Gaius out of my belongings...**_

"So, Red, what is it we can do here?" The man continued, turning his candy in his mouth.

"Red?" Damon asked.

"That's a quirk of Gaius," Lucina sighed. "He gives people weird nicknames."

"Can I beat him if he changes the nicknames frequently with me?" Damon asked Lucina.

"If you can catch him. He was our best thief for a reason," she shrugged.

Lon'qu sighed and started heading out, his katana in hand. "If all we're going to be doing is mundane talk, I'm going to go train."

Damon just held out his left fist, while pretending to do a crank, twitching up his left middle finger.

 _ **I can already tell that this guy is going to be... 'Fun'**_

"Don't take it to heart Red," Gaius assured him. "Lon'qu don't like talking much is all."

"Mundane my ass, I'm tons of interesting! Fun and lovable!... when I'm not in an uh drunk mood..." Damon thought about his choices in life.

"Huh... didn't Sunshine say she'd be back by now?" Gaius asked Tiki.

"Perhaps she's still reading?" The manakete asked.

"Who is Sunshine?" Damon asked.

Tiki offered one word for her answer. "Tharja."

"I can tell I'm going to need my talking stick for this... wait... or is that my poking stick.." Damon thought of his 'stick' which was actually a very sharp jagged hunting spear.

"Quit worrying," a familiar sounding voice deadpanned as she walked in. "I was just finishing looking through the library."

Damon's eyes almost shot out of his head at the woman that was walking in. He expected Beruka from the voice, but this woman was most certainly not her. The skin-tight uniform of a dark mage clung to the woman's figure, raven black hair cascading down her back to about hip length, crowned with a gold ornament. Tired, or perhaps bored, purple eyes peered at everyone. And speaking of figures, she rivaled Camilla with no trouble at all, though she seemed to lack as much muscle and definition due to her role as a dark mage and preference to books.

Damon's mouth was practically hanging from his jaw. "…..I'm sorry do you need to go get changed... you know out of your bed gowns?" Damon asked seeing the very...revealing aspects of her body.

"That's actually what dark mages here wear too, Damon," Camilla informed him. "For some reason... no one is quite sure why, but they almost always wear that."

 _ **Yes because staring at both of you is giving me seductive and ….lewd thoughts! I mean come on! I think you wear that Camilla to get on my 'bad' side!**_

Damon made a somewhat audible gulp. Tharja's eyes quickly turned into a piercing glare that sent a message loud and clear. She was not to be seduced or hit on by him, or likely anyone. She clung to an odd book at all times too, so it seemed that she was more than willing to hex him or anyone that tried.

 _ **About Face!**_

Damon moved his right foot behind his left and spun around. "Right introductions are over, now I will be going to drown myself in an iced bath..." Damon said as he had a look of pure terror on his face.

"We'll be here," Gaius stated as he took out a small book and started to leaf through it.

"Um... Damon..." Tiki grabbed his shoulder about half way down the hall.

 _ **Don't react, don't talk...don't react... don't talk!**_

"Yes?" Damon stopped immediately as he turned to reply.

 _ **FUCK!**_

"I wanted to apologize for everyone's tone... Tharja especially," the Voice of Naga said, bowing her head.

"Oh don't worry... it's not like something I haven't dealt with before..." Damon patted her on the head.

The green haired woman nodded somberly. "Yes... Lucina... I apologize on her behalf too. I assume her or Severa told you already? Or Owain or Inigo?"

Just then the remembrance of an audible crack to his right foot reminded him. "Yeah...let's just say I learned of several painful realizations including past stories that I will forever not be ignorant too... for my sakes at least..." Damon shivered from the thought of experiencing that again.

"Well, I have a decent feeling you've figured out that Lucina was changed by the experience if Severa didn't tell you. But Tharja... she definitely took it worse... that book she's carrying is... well, a quick back story on her first. Tharja was obsessed with Robin. She was even willing to change her personality to gain his affections. She ignored advances from all other men, she was convinced she was to marry him one day..."

"Trust me, I only go after the women who share ….mutually beneficial relationships..." Damon worded that out carefully.

"That book though... it used to be Robin's Primer," Tiki explained.

"Let me guess... That's the only thing she has left of him?" Damon asked Tiki.

The manakete nodded. "Indeed. But her obsession is far, far worse than we thought. She's convinced she'll run into him again one day and has been doing... odd things to it. Says it's so it'll be ready for him."

"Oh sweet mother of mercy..." Damon sighed with fear.

Tiki nodded again, placing a hand on his forehead and pushing magic into it. "Indeed. But I'm worried for her, obsession non-withstanding." Damon felt the headache fade into nothingness before she removed her hand. "She works so hard on that book that she falls asleep or loses track of things more often now... and I have no idea what the men of this country are like. You seem nice, but this place... it doesn't sit that well with me. There's so much negativity and bleakness..."

Damon shrugged hearing that from her as she walked with him. "Sits fine with me."

"I just wish for you to order she not be touched if she should lose track of things. Just to be safe."

"I...I'll see what I can do, but I have no real authority over official matters at the moment, seeing as I am in training to be ready to be at that administrative level." Damon explained.

Tiki gave him a light smile. "Lucina seems to answer to you. So long as she enforces it, I doubt anything will happen."

"Well yeah what presides in the Northern Fortress and the country lines." Damon agreed, seeing he held governorship over the fortress and the territory.

"If you could help my friend, I would appreciate it," Tiki requested again, a pleading look in her eyes.

"...I'll make sure she's safe here..." Damon sighed, seeing he had to be careful with these new officers appearing.

"Thank you, my prince," the manakete sighed in relief, taking a knee. "May Naga guide you one your path."

"Meh... I really have no knowledge of her, so it isn't...appropriate to give me that kind of blessing..." Damon said seeing he is ignorant to her faith.

"A blessing is a blessing. You'll see," she smiled before beginning to walk away before coming to a full stop. "By the way... why is it you have human ears?"

Damon froze hearing that. "Excuse me?"

"There's dragon blood in your veins. Ancient too. Some of the first dragons like Naga and Grima actually."

"Please don't tell me you're just...trying to worship me..." Damon snickered.

"No. If I were to worship anyone, it would be the man who saved my life," she replied evenly.

"Right... well I'm sure you must be crazy to think I'm a dragon..." Damon shrugged hoping she'd be ignorant enough to not suspect anything.

"I've been old enough to fight since the age of the Hero King Marth. You aren't shaking me that easily," Tiki informed him.

 _ **Well the confines of my mind are safe from your grips...**_

"And I'm sure you have interesting tales to tell..." Damon gave a trollish answer.

Tiki sighed and looked into his eyes. "Enough of the games. You're a manakete like myself."

"Prove it..." Damon said to Tiki. She sighed and simply tossed a dragonstone to him, the stone activating and showing off his horns and wings in mere moments.

"Dragon fang," she stated. "Powers of the first dragons, along with the use of dragon veins scattered throughout the world. Your blood is purer than most, meaning you're a direct descendant." Tiki took the stone back, the black leathery wings disappearing along with his straight black horns. This dragon form was like none other though, from the glimpse she got. "You're likely a Dark Dragon judging by the scales and horns." Demon made an audible growl behind his teeth seeing, she now has information on him. "Oh, don't be so mad. I have no reason to divulge your secret no or ever. I don't like blackmail."

"No but you do like preserving life..." He stated, with red glare in his eyes.

Tiki sighed and decided to break even. "How about this? I'll tell you my secret and we'll call it even?"

Damon got a hold of his urges and senses. "Fine..." He calmed himself down.

The manakete shifted her feet and sighed. "I... liked Robin. Even after learning he was Grima."

"That...how is that a secret to me?" The Dragon Prince asked.

"My life isn't that interesting. And do recall, I'm servant to Grima's mortal nemesis," Tiki reminded him.

"Well you woke something I was trying to suppress for a time... that wasn't a real smart move, as it gets harder and harder to remain ignorant to my situation..." He murmured.

"Then I wholeheartedly apologize," she bowed, a frown now on her face. "I didn't mean to cause trouble, it just... frustrates me to see people deny who they are."

 _ **"**_ Deny who I am?" Damon asked. "I know what I am... a would-be terror of the night... Burning and killing... slaughtering my weakened foe and denying any sort of normality I would ever have."

Tiki shivered. "Perhaps now... but a few years ago? You'd be a paper tiger compared to Grima."

"Oh but I'm just getting started, I'd diminish the line between friend and foe, lover and enemy, and lash out equally... I'd break at the sudden loss of love..." Damon continued..

The Voice of Naga sighed and held her hand up. "Do you wish to see? See the terror we had to fight?"

Damon leaned down grabbing her by the arms lifting her up with ease to bring him to his terror brought eyes. "See? I lived it... " Tears started to form in to blood.

"Perhaps... but you aren't the only one," Tiki sighed, squirming from his grasp. "You've lost loved ones once. What of it? Do you know how it feels to watch everyone you've ever cared about die and be unable to stop it? How about twice? Thrice? And before you dare to question how, consider this. I'm thousands of years old. I've had to repeat that so many times that I forced myself into isolation just to avoid the pain! And then... and, and then..." Tears started to fall. "I had to watch the one person... the only person I could feasibly have a relationship with die..." She fell to her knees sobbing.

Some part of Damon snapped as he looked in to her eyes. An audible heartbeat before screaming of the damned could be heard in his head. "It was a slaughter... fire... death... one by one, two by two... blood pools and mangled limbs... You want my pain? You want to see what I lived through.."

"Do you wish to see mine?" Tiki countered.

"Did you have to kill your own kin? Your own warped children? Did you know I lived a life in another point of time? Where everything I bled, fought, and...sacrificed, was a lie?" He asked. "You can't even comprehend what I'm trying to say to you... can you?" Damon asked.

"Have you ever had to be at the death bed of everyone you've ever known and cared about, unable to help as time takes them while you're stuck in the same damn body?!"

"if by death you mean choking on their own blood? With a fatal wound? Aye... When your own son dies in your hands... a son ….. Max..." Damon immediately stopped, as he leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down. Tiki felt his anguish. It was similar to hers, but not quite. She scooted to him, drying both her and his tears. "I didn't even get to raise him... I got barely a few months with him... he was stolen from me, I failed him... my own flesh and blood... I was forced to watch him die..." Damon said with a hollowed voice.

"I... I can't say I definately know your pain... but I can relate... At least a little..." Tiki sighed.

"I was forced to watch his mother die shortly after... that does things to a man... I shouldn't have remembered that..." Damon said resting his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry... It's my fault for bringing up my own past, isn't it?" The manakete asked.

"…. Do you know what the really painful thing is?" Damon asked Tiki.

"I'm listening," she replied, her demanor finally returning to normal.

"I can't simply just tell any of those I fought with... loved... and know about this... because they'd think, I'd be crazy..." Damon made a slight chuckle.

"… I believe you," the Voice of Naga assured him. "I've seen many things in my life. Going back in time isn't too big a stretch."

"…. That's nice...but you weren't there... In fact I didn't know you existed... Today is full of surprises..." Damon dried his tears.

Tiki thought for a moment before having an idea. "Then how about I simply listen? Consult with you about these things when you need to as your friend?"

"…. If … I indulge you in this, I tell you beyond this, then know this... you'd walk into a conflict that you wouldn't think possible... I'm giving you a chance to back out right now." Damon said with a serious demeanor.

"I've been in multiple wars, seen friends and loved ones die, and seen all sorts of twists. At this point, not much can shake me," Tiki told him.

"This is a war of corruption... One of lies, deceit, chaos and misery... A war is coming, both Nohr and Hoshido will be made puppets to kill eac hother..." Damon warned her of the coming struggle.

"And I supposed that me and my friends being here didn't happen last time? And that there's one more you've yet to meet quite yet?"

"Yes, there's going to be more apparently... there is a shadow like foe... I don't know what they want... but they seem to be pulling the strings..." Damon was still confused about it all.

"Then we'll expose them, in due time. But trying to rush things will only make them worse. Trust me. I've seen it. The best thing you can do now is try to change small things that will impact bigger ones. Set up caches in Nohr, make plans and prepare however you can without actually influencing anything."

 _ **It sounds easier than it looks...**_

"Your plan sounds like it fell through because you spread too thin without much planning," Tiki pointed out.

"We were being rushed... Not enough timing... I loved so many... and lost them all..it was like having a chunk of your heart ripped out piece by piece...I uh...had a Harem of lovers... don't judge...it happened." Damon said with small laugh.

"Hmm... perhaps what you need then is a tactician then? Someone who thinks of strategy easily and can make it more efficient. As for the harem? Can't say I wholeheartedly approve, but it definitely isn't the worst thing you could do if they all consented to it."

"I do... Leo got in too late... trust me it was all my... Unawaken instincts in me...it felt right, the need for passion and love..."

"Then getting a better one earlier seems to be the key. Someone to help pick up the slack and fine tune plans while making them himself."

"Any suggestions?" Damon asked her.

"Heh... I'm wise, not all knowing. Years ago, I would have had just the man in mind. But... as you know, he's dead."

Damon looked at Tiki. "You're a priestess though..."

"I'm the Voice of Naga. A fancy name for a high priestess of a now dead religion."

"….I was Demon...the Dragon King of a Rogue nation..." Damon gave her his title.

"My point is, despite my powers and title, I'm nowhere near as powerful as Naga or Grima on my own. And neither of them could predict the future."

"What's set in stone is done...but here it's just added layers...that's the madness of things." He said with a sigh.

"Then... I swear to do my best to change fate with you," Tiki promised, helping him to his feet.

"You... are the oceans gray waves...gods that song..." Damon sighed knowing he'll soon be hearing that again.

"I suggest we break for now," Tiki advised. "Talking in a hall as long as we have been was a risk in itself."

"Aye but do you know what's painful too? Knowing that a lot of my loved ones are here... and I can't hold myself back from throwing hints at them... Knowing that they all love me... " Damon complained knowing the risks of doing something this risky.

"Then... perhaps I'll speed things along?" Tiki suggested. "Nudge things to help you? Just because I'm doomed to loneliness doesn't mean I can't aid those who are themselves."

"Why do you have to be doomed to it? Nothing is ever over, life will carry you with it and drop you to a person who you are destined to be with..." Damon argued.

"Only manaketes have longevity like I do... The Voice especially. I can't keep falling over and over again and expect to not be hurt every time. But this last one? I don't think I can honestly love anyone else after that..." Tiki sighed.

"Never say never... it'll come... believe me." Damon said with an encouraging look.

Tiki smiled back at him, for once feeling hope she could truly come to find someone who she could spend the rest of her life with in her heart. "… Thank you... you're a good friend, Damon."

"I know the heart, Tiki...I know the feeling you'll be there with the one you love." Damon said as he stood up and looked at his slightly opened door. "Just like I'll find my loved ones again..."He gave off the slightest smile.

The manakete, touched by his kindness, grabbed his hand and started to mutter a prayer. "I know you aren't a believer in Naga... and honestly, I don't have a much faith in her anymore after all of this myself... but I still pray that she will guide you on your... no, our path going into the future, my friend."

 **[A rank Support Achieved!]**

"I'll see you again soon, my friend," Tiki smiled before leaving.

 _ **What did I just get myself in to?**_

Damon made his way to his room before opening the door and shutting it behind him. "Oh. Hello, my lord," Flora greeted him with a curtsey. "I was just about to finish cleaning your room."

Demon saw a flash of fire around Flora in a memory, followed by her cruel and unwarranted death. Damon shook that image out of his head. "Oh...uh, thanks...How...well you know." Damon was having trouble trying to form a sentence.

"It's no bother at all," she hummed before going back to dusting. "After all the kindness you've shown my sister and I, it's the least I can do."

 _ **Well that and it's your maidly duty...**_

Damon scratched the back of his scalp, hearing that from his maid. "Errmm... right...what were you going to torch my room? Kidding..." Damon joked.

"Haha... funny. But you know... I think Camilla has been giving me foul looks lately..." The blue haired maid sighed. "I have no idea what I did to upset her either, so I can't make up for it."

"Oh? Well what brought this on? Did you do something that might... get her upset like, do something that belongs to me...or perhaps did you do something to me?" Damon joked, seeing Camilla is very...clingy.

"Aha, aha ha," the maid sarcastically laughed. "I'd be drawn and quartered before I even had the chance and you know it. At least, if I did anything to you. You doing anything to me would just be swept under the rug."

"…. You're... Hey Flora, are you...perhaps thinking of something... you know keeping something a secret?" Damon asked his maid approaching her.

"What would I have to keep?" She asked, beginning to feel slightly nervous.

"The look you've been giving me... don't think I didn't notice it..." Damon said to the maid.

Flora sighed and turned to him. "… I won't bother trying to hide it then. Fine. I've been... crushing on you for a while now."

"….I know." Damon said to Flora, with a serious tone.

"So... where do we go from here?" The maid asked.

"I'd warrant the feelings too, but...there is a problem, Felicia has that same look, and now I'm extremely troubled..." Damon sighed, seeing as she gave him those similar looks...followed by tripping over her own feet.

"Whaaaat?" Felicia fell out of the closet, causing Flora to have an irritated look on her face, seeing her sister was spying on her and Damon. "Felicia!" Flora snapped at her sister.

Before the antics could continue, there was a knock on the door. "Excuse me? Is this Prince Damon's room?" A woman's voice asked on the other side.

"Well you are in his Fortress..." Damon joked, as he opened the door. An actually red-haired woman with matching eyes met his gaze, a waifish figure in Wyvern Rider's armor. Her hair hung down to her mid back as well, covering most of the exposed part if he cared to look.

"Are you related to Selena by chance?" Damon asked the woman seeing her in full form.

"Haha! Funny. My name is Cherche, I'll be tending to the wyverns and making sure they're ready for battle," the woman bowed. "But I must say, you have some cuties here in Nohr!

"Cuties?...I'm sure my maids would be thankful of that comment?" Damon asked with an inquisitive look.

"Huh? No no, I meant the wyverns," the new woman clarified. "So many of them look simply adorable!"

"Adorable? But they're... Wyverns...killer beasts and all." Damon tried to think of a wyvern that fit her description.

Flora saw the claw marks on Damon's back as his padded clothes were torn and something ticked in her. "Damon, shirt off. Now," she ordered, getting a needle and thread out.

"Huh? But we have a guest..." Damon advised against it.

"I think she's referring to Panne's claw marks on your shirt and not... whatever it was you were thinking of," Cherche pointed out.

Damon shrugged as he disrobed his top half revealing his sculpted form and muscles.

"Huh. Impressive," Cherche nodded. "I didn't think I'd be meeting a pair of unique maids so early though."

"How so?" Damon asked Cherche.

"The air around them is colder. Can't you feel it too? Not to mention their hair. I wonder if they cook if they'd end up not doing much..." The woman muttered to herself. "Actually, can either of you cook? I'd be happy to teach you if you don't."

"Flora can, Felicia...killed a plant..." Damon said seeing he had a cactus.

Cherche looked at Felicia with intense eyes. "Well then, as a former fellow servant myself, I take it upon myself to rehabilitate your skills so you may serve your lord better!" The wyvern rider declared.

 _ **Did I just get another maid?**_

"Oh, and simply must introduce you all to Minerva some time! She's simply one of the most gorgeous creatures I've ever seen, not to mention my closest friend," the red head rambled. "I can take you to the pens now if you want, Damon, girls?"

A memory of a certain wyvern head butting him, brought him to rub his neck. "Ah... Wyverns don't like me for some reason... except for Camilla's..." Damon was very cautious seeing how he was a dragon.

Cherche's eyes lit up. "Princess Camilla has a wyvern too?!"

 _ **Oh no..**_

"Come on, you must introduce me to her! Please?" The odd woman begged the still young prince.

"I'd love to... when she gets back..." Damon said with a slight hesitant chuckle.

Cherche sighed in defeat before perking up. "Well... I still must introduce you all to Minerva. I insist!" She grabbed Felicia and Damon and started pulling them to the pens, Flora following to ensure they didn't get hurt.

"Wait I don't have a shirt on! I ain't walking in to a wyvern pen without a shirt!" Damon protested.

"Relax, I'll wrestle them down if they decide to get a little frisky," the woman assured him. "It's been a while since I had a proper work out anyway."

 _ **Wrestle?! Yeah right more like you'll draw a picture and watch them try to molest/eat me!**_

 _ ***Moments later...***_

"Easy!" Cherche shouted, pinning a rather aggressive wyvern to the ground by its neck. "That's enough playing with the nice man! Now calm down!"

Damon was sitting on a pile of knocked out Wyverns, covered in bite marks on his body. "You are...completely...insane..." Damon huffed out. "Flora...Felicia?" Damon asked hopping off the twitching pile.

"… Is it bad I respect her?" Felicia asked them both.

"….. No comment..." Damon begrudgingly huffed out. "I want...a nice...bath..." Damon exhaustingly said to them. The two nodded and immediately ran to the baths to ready the water.

"Hey," Gaius waved to them as the trio passed. "That last one she was fighting, the big mean one? That's Minerva. And she brings that thing inside to cuddle from time to time."

Damon immediately stopped seeing the absolute insanity in his home. A literal yandere dark mage, a dragonshifting elf, a rabbit girl, a sugar obsessed thief and a brooding Hoshidan.

 _ **You got to be fucking with me...**_

And thus, began the next few months of Damon's already hectic life.

* * *

 _ ***A few months later, on Damon's birthday***_

Damon was sound asleep, resting under the covers of his bed. Felicia leaned over Damon's sleeping form as she smiled. "It's time to get up my lord..." She said gently shaking him, while Flora stood by her Sister fixing Damon's picture of water. Damon's eyes cracked open seeing, Felicia, Flora, Leo, Elise, Xander, and Camilla. "Why are you guys waking me up when the sun's not out..." Damon complained as he pulled the covers back over his body.

 _ **Wait...oh no! No! Not the freezing kiss!**_

Flora and Felicia, looked at each other going on both sides of his bed, they leaned over giving his face an icy kiss, which brought him sitting up quickly. "Well, that's what you get for trying to sleep in, big brother," Elise giggled.

"I'M UP!" Damon snapped as he shook from being awaken like that.

"Good morning, my darling Damon," Camilla cooed.

"It's about time," Leo jabbed jokingly.

"What's going on? You guys are in my room in the crack of dawn...?" Damon looked out seeing the light wasn't shining through his room.

"We're taking you to the capital for the day," Xander explained with a smile. "We're spending the whole day with each other. As a family."

"...Do I get my birthday presents now?" Damon asked.

"Actually, a few surprise gifts are waiting outside your room," Elise smiled.

… _ **.wait... That played out differently... they presented it to me and screamed happy birthday... what fresh Hell is this?!**_

Damon's eyes narrowed down on them all as he moved his sheets, and got up from the mattress. "Okay... something is... wrong here..." Damon looked at each of them.

"Just open the damn door, brother," Leo chuckled.

Damon walked over to his bedroom door and slowly and cautiously opened the door. "SURPRISE!"

Damon's eyes widened and went blood shot like an ambush hit him. _***THUD***_ He felt himself being revived by a barrage of healing spells, courtesy of Tiki, the twins and Elise. "I think we went overboard..." Gaius chuckled.

Damon shot up from the floor. "….grr..." He suppressed a growl.

"Okay, but in all seriousness, happy birthday Red," the thief chuckled, tossing the prince a bag. "Some of my personal stash for the lucky guy."

"What child did you steal this from?" Damon asked seeing the goodies.

Gaius almost looked offended. "I'll have you know I made those myself!"

"Did you steal these from my little sister?" Damon asked Gaius.

"Actually, they're called a Gaius Confect," Elise told him. "I helped make them."

"Right... and then you're going to tell me you and Camilla made me a Cape?" Damon asked.

"… Tiki... I told you not to tell him..." Camilla smiled sweetly at the manakete, promising pain.

"I... didn't..." Tiki said quietly.

"And let me guess...a tabard by you Camilla?" Damon asked his 'sister'.

"Nope," she smirked, handing him a box. "It's a scarf."

"It's a Tabard..." Damon said opening it.

The younger princess pouted. "You were supposed to be surprised..."

"We actually have gifts too," Lon'qu told him, holding a long box in his arms.

"Wait... I have to predict my brothers gifts now..." Damon turned to Leo and Xander. "Well...let me guess... you got me a helmet Xander?" Damon asked, then turned to Leo. "And you got me chainmail for my armor?" He added.

"… We're sure he isn't psychic, right?" Xander joked.

"I don't know maybe Leo's spell book had more of a hidden message in it..." Damon gave them a look.

"Quiet you," Leo mock shook his fist at the prince.

"Now gimmie gimme, so I can get changed..." Damon ordered grabbing both the tabbard, and cape from Camilla and Elise.

"Um... we actually have things for you too," Tiki offered, holding a smaller, wider box than Lon'qu.

"Right..." Damon put the stuff down from his family and approached Tiki.. "I'm not going to find a shrunken head in this am I?" He asked cautiously.

"No. I didn't bring Tharja's gift." She gave him a lighthearted, joking smile.

"Ha...ha..." Damon said sarcastically, opening the box. In it were a pair of light blue, scaled gauntlets.

"Those are manakete scales," the Voice of Naga told him. "Unbreakable."

"Can the color scheme turn to match my armor?" Damon asked seeing his steel plated armor on the rack. "Great gift and all... I just don't want to look like an ass..." Damon warned of a word of caution.

"That's actually my gift," Lilith smiled, readying her magic. Damon quivered hearing Lilith, remembering the... quality time.

 _ **Huhgauhhagrhuagh...Gods... The hours...**_

A qucik spell changed the color scheme to match the armor. "All done," the yellow eyed girl smiled.

"Thank You..." Damon gave off a sigh of relief. "Next gift please?" Damon smiled.

"Here you go!" Cherche smiled, handing him a package with a dragon crest on the paper.

"…..." Damon just looked at the package with caution before opening the box quickly. Inside was actually something not totally insane. It was a pauldron, looking to be the same metal as his armor but reinforced with wyvern scales, black ones making up the Nohrian crest in stark contrast to the shades of dark green that made up the rest of it.

"It may not be manakete, but wyvern scales are still very tough," Cherche told him. "And without the actual dragon there, there's no threat of Wyrmbane damaging them as much."

"Lilith...color scheme please." Damon called his...future... 'mate'.

"On it!" The maid nodded and got to work changing the scale colors so they matched the armor without compromising the crest.

"Here you are," Lon'qu stated, handing the box in his hands to Damon. Despite the edge looking thin from how he held it, it was actually a really wide, very heavy box.

"Is there a plaque in this?" Damon asked Lon'qu.

"Any plaque that long would only inflate your ego. I think what's inside much better for you," the swordsman stated.

"'Best, Lord of the keep and drinker, fighter, trainer, and cool guy of the fortress?' Is that long enough to be on a supposed plaque I'm thinking of?" Damon asked.

Lon'qu sighed and rolled his eyes. "Do you want the damn present or not? Just open it already."

"Easy... I'm opening it." Damon sighed pulling off the lid. Inside was what looked like a sword but was more of a giant slab of raw steel.

"Steel?" Damon asked moving his hands on the bar.

"Not as debilitating as silver with more power than iron," Lon'qu explained.

"Well I know what steel is, my plating is made out of it..." Damon reminded him, pointing to the plate mail on the rack.

Lon'qu gave him a blank look. "Yes. But that can't cut through people without it breaking, can it?"

"…..." Damon just cocked his head to the right looking at him.

 _ **You want to bet?**_

"It isn't steel, kiddo," Gaius told the prince. "It's something rarer. You know the stuff in Levin Swords? It's that."

"Great I'll make sure to forge it, as soon as I can." Damon plopped the box on his bed.

"Um... kid? That is the sword," Gaius chuckled.

"…. I know what I said..." Damon huffed out.

"I recalled you saying one handed swords weren't your favorite. So I had a two handed sword forged that your strength could handle," Lon'qu explained.

"You see I would wield that... but... " Damon showed him Xander's sword. "Haven't switched a blade yet... big brother gifted me this sword and I just added the metal that grew it." Damon said with pride.

"Um... just a thought, but you could reforge my sword into it," Xander suggested. "Or you could keep mine and switch when needed."

"Are we all playing lets correct Damon on his birthday? I'm getting offended here, I have a right to be arrogant and ignorant on the day of my fucking birth!" Damon growled.

Xander laughed and rubbed the stubble on the prince's head. "I know. But it's simply my job as big brother to give as good advice I can."

Damon clapped his hands together rubbing them. "Right... anyways! Who is next, because I'd like to get fitted in to my armor." Damon said with eagerness.

Lucina tossed him a smaller box. "Here. Happy birthday, sir."

"Wow Sir? Damn, the least you could call me by my name..." Damon chuckled as he opened up the box. It actually surprised him what was in there. It was a hand drawn portrait of him and his siblings, framed in oak and gold. His father was even behind them all, uncharacteristically smiling along with them.

"…..." A small smile cracked on his face, as he hung it above his bed. "Thank you... I really like that." He nodded to Lucina.

"Well... I can show a soft spot on my Lord's birthday, at the very least," she smiled back before leaving back to her duties.

 _ **Oh ouch..**_

"Well anyone else want to comment on me or disparage me? Before I change in to my armor and test your words of merit?" Damon said with a chuckle.

"Your arrogant?" Xander asked.

"Egotistical?" Elise chirped.

"Greedy?" Camilla grinned.

"Self-absorbed?" Leo finished. All of them had joking looks on their faces.

… _ **..okay that's it... now to surprise you all...**_

"Hehehehe... you see... I was going to let Felicia fit my armor... but now?" Damon snapped his fingers letting the armor fly at him. "…."

* _ **CRACK...CRACK***_

Damon cracked his knuckles. "You should've stopped at Arrogant... Two second head start..." _**Demon**_ said with a fiery passion.

Xander laughed and hoisted Elise over his shoulder before booking it, along with Camilla and Leo, all four of them laughing as their brother chased them. "Damn... you ever wish you had family like that?" Gaius asked Tiki and Lon'qu.

"Not really..." The samurai replied.

"All the time," Tiki responded.

"I'll show you egotistical!" Demon snapped as the officers could hear thrashing around, and broken objects.

"Damon! Don't break your house!" Elise chided with a giggle.

"I'll break whatever I Damn well please!" Another set of crashing and broken objects could be heard as they descended down to the next level of the fortress.

"No, you don't understand!" Xander shouted back with a serious tone.

"Oh now I'm ignorant huh?!" A loud thrash could be heard.

"Father's-"

"Right here," Garon stated, all five stopping in their tracks.

Demon moved his hands on all four of them lifting them up, ignorant to Garon. "Who's laughing now?!" Demon said to them.

"Ha... Ha... ha..." Garon deadpanned, making his blood turn to ice.

Demon huffed out as he dropped the four. "Father... I welcome you to the Northern Fortress..." Demon said with a monotone voice.

"Yes... I see you've kept it in good condition," the king replied sarcastically as a bit of the stone wall fell where Demon ran into it.

"No... I destroyed it in punishment of the hubris of my siblings..." Demon said knowing it was sarcastic.

"Hmph... I expect repaired to start tomorrow... now come. The carriage awaits us." The king turned and his children followed him out and over the bridge.

"Tonight, as my...canny officers will get it done..." Demon turned his head towards the group.

"Hey, I can't promise anything," Gaius grinned mischievously. Demon shot him a glare before joining his siblings, the coach driving snapping the reigns to get the horses moving.

Demon saw the fortress get smaller and smaller as they continued off on the Nohrian roads. "I assume me going to the capital is for... a _**demonstration?"**_ Demon asked Garon.

"As well as your party. Both birthday and going away," the king nodded.

"Who am I going to kill?" Demon asked, causing the Nohrian siblings to look at him.

The king took out a couple drawings and handed them to him. A dark skinned woman with muscles most men would kill for and a white skinned ninja. "These two prisoners of war. We caught them trying to sneak over the border."

Demon saw Kaze, and smiled inwardly. "Wait... I know that man..." Demon said as he got a closer look.

"Oh? From where?" Garon inquired.

"Scouting party I think...? He looks like a Scout." Demon suggested. "Is that where you picked these two up?" He asked Garon.

The old king nodded. "Yes."

"What was Hoshidan scum doing scouting our borders?" Demon asked seeing he knew what to do.

"Likely looking for guard patrols and infiltration spots," Xander filled his brother in.

"They'd really want to risk a war?" He asked, seeing that there was going to be one regardless.

Leo sighed. "If I can be honest? I think both sides are growing restless. We've been on a tense situation for almost twenty years now. It was only a matter of time before one of us tried it."

 _ **I need to avoid a Hoshidan Civil War...**_

"Father, will you be sending us out soon to track the scouts movements?" Demon asked, seeing as back then in the last life he did send them.

"We actually learned they're sending forces in tomorrow," the king replied.

"Could it be a forging party?" Demon asked seeing as forces forage the surrounding area.

"From what the woman and the ninja said? Not likely," Camilla replied.

"Are we going to take words of a Hoshdian now?" Demon chuckled shaking from the bump in the road.

Garon gave him a cold look. "Considering there may be a threat on our doorstep. Yes. Better to be safe than sorry."

"Come now Father, what could possibly stand up against the might and strength of King Garon and the Kingdom of Nohr?" Demon asked through his helmet.

"… A ghost of our past..." The king replied with something close to venom in his voice. It was clear something about this siege was bothering him more than the last time line. "They have a captain who is reported to be a genius tactician. You are to bring him to me alive and as unharmed as possible."

"…...As you wish..." Demon nodded, while touching the pommel of his blade.

The rest of the trip was spent chatting with his siblings and father about more petty things like weather and current affairs in Nohr outside of the Rebellion. Before Demon knew it, he was in the throne room before his father, kneeling before the king on his throne. "Today marks your twenty second birthday, my son..." Garon began, looking at Demon. "You are now ready for a proper trial and test of your skills before I send you against our mortal enemies."

 _ **Now give me that wretched sword...'Father'**_

"I grant you _**Ganglari.**_ maythis blade serve you well in battle against the Hoshidans, as a symbol of your power and rank," Garon intoned, summoning the blade and handing it to his son.

Demon grabbed the blade. "Father this is Ganglari...your prized possession..." Demon said to Garon.

"Yes. So you can imagine the hopes I have for you..." Garon gave his son a rare smile and patted his head. "You are a prince of Nohr, and one of the strongest men I have ever seen. This blade befits your roll as our beacon of hope in this dismal land."

"Show me the scouting party you have captured..." Demon said as he rose to turn to see the open space, as the prisoners were being forced in to the room, light infantry and two officers.

"Give them their weapons..." Demon ordered the soldiers who had them at spear point. The men nodded and tossed a few boxes, clubs and other weapons to the warriors.

"Damn it..." The woman growled as she picked up a few clubs. "To think it might come to this..."

Demon moved down the steps as he swung his blade ready to fight. " _ **Prepare to die.**_.." Demon said as he charged at the group. The woman growled and swung her club, catching him off guard by going for his legs, knocking him off his feet. She raised it high before slamming it down.

"Aren't you a feisty warrior?" Demon asked as he rolled out of her way swinging his blade around him creating a wave of air to push his opponents back.

"I'm an Oni? What'd you expect?" The woman growled, her red and white hair being blown by the pressure.

"Oh an Oni huh? Where is your fire?" Demon asked, in a mocking way.

"Kaze!" The Oni shouted as she lunged at him. The prince side stepped the club, only to take a dagger to his side as the ninja sped past him.

"...it's going to take a lot more than little kitchen knives to take me down..." Demon laughed, as he struck the ground with the blade causing it to shake. He suddenly felt sick, as if something had crept in his skin and started to burn.

 _ **Poison... great.**_

Rinkah prepared her fire attack as Demon's eyes snapped towards the flames in her hands. With a mighty upward swing, she hit his helmet with a loud clunk, sending it flying up into the air.

A fiery explosion engulfed the figure causing smoke to rise, she'd hoped that it would've blown him up...but as the smoke cleared, she saw the fire didn't even affect him. Kaze almost couldn't believe his eyes. "My... my lord?" He asked, hesitating to attack.

"Fire resistant..." Demon smiled at Rinkah, before head butting her. Kaze intercepted the next attack, blocking it and giving the woman time to recover.

"My lord... I don't wish to fight you, but I will if it means protecting both her and myself," the ninja growled, struggling against the prince's strength.

"Who the fuck are you talking to?" Demon lied as he brought the pommel on his head, throwing him back. Kaze threw a volley of shuriken, while only scratching Demon, the poison wreaked havoc on his body. Demon kicked the Ninja in the gut while throwing the two on the ground as he had to get them out of here. "Some protector you turned out to be..." Demon said as he gave him a wink, before engulfing the blade with a red aura.

Kaze got the message and got to a knee. "My lord... I am Kaze! I serve under your family!"

"What?... Father, this idiot says he serves under you?" Demon asked Garon.

"Humph... the man must have had some brain cells knocked loose from your attack," the king huffed.

"Can I kill him now?" Demon asked shocking Garon. The king gave him a smile and nodded. That was all the prince needed to attack. "Well time to get out of here..." Demon said, with a smile. "Don't worry, it'll be over quickly..." He said as his red aura engulfed even brighter around the blade, bringing it down on the ground letting loose a sonic red explosion, making a crater. "...I blew up your floor..." Demon said to Garon.

"It matters not. You managed to match and exceed my expectations," the old king smiled. "You are more than ready for the war ahead of us, my son. Now..." Garon stood and clasped Demon's shoulder. "We celebrate!"

"I believe you'd want this back father..." Demon presented the blade back to Garon.

The king shook his head and pushed it back into his son's hands. "No... you have more than earned the right to wield it as your weapon in this war."

 _ **The second I cross the fucking border I'm burying you in some sort of grave... This thing is not going to explode on my watch.**_

"If you don't mind father, I'd like to walk the gardens alone for a little bit and clear my head," Demon requested.

"Hm... very well. You shall have them to yourself until the feast," Garon stated, sending a guard to ensure the order was carried out.

Demon nodded as he made his way out with the accursed sword on his right hip. As Demon made his way outside of the palace grounds towards a shaded forested area, he came across two figures in a red aura, frozen in time. Demon snapped his fingers causing the aura to dissipate, leaving the two to collapse on the ground. "I must admit my lord, that was very clever," Kaze smiled, brushing the dust off.

"Yes...Yes it was...now I need you to leave... like immediately, as if the guard catches you with in the border than I'm done for... return to Hoshido." Demon ordered his original retainer and protector.

"Like hell we are!" Rinkah refused. "The whole reason we came here was to get you out of Nohr and back to Hoshido!"

"Wait what?" Demon asked.

"Our whole reason for coming here was to bring you home, my lord," Kaze bowed. "The plan was to sneak in and find where they were holding you captive but we were caught."

"Captive? I ain't no captive here..." Demon said rubbing his own scalp. "Do I look like a prisoner forced to live in a cell?" He asked.

"Perhaps what he actually said works best then... 'trapped in a gilded cage,'" Kaze reiterated.

"Being hailed a Prince of Nohr, has its perks..." Demon added.

"Yeah, so does being a noble's pet," Rinkah pointed out.

"I'm not a nobles pet..." Demon said with a low tone.

"It's a figure of speak," the oni woman shrugged.

Demon inhaled and calmed down before moving to the next question. "How is it you both knew I was even alive? Hell, who came up with this plan?!"

"Your younger brother came up with the reasoning, but it was Prince Takumi who prematurely organized it," Kaze informed his lord.

 _ **Takumi... Takumi?! That little pine apple fuck! Wait... a different younger brother?**_

"Who... figured this out again?" Demon questioned.

"Your younger brother, Prince Shad," Rinkah replied, spotting a good place to escape. "His logic was that there was no ransom for your return and your head wasn't sent back as a declaration of war, so they had to have been keeping you alive and using or training you for something."

"…..The lost prince... I appreciate the attempt, but you two are in no shape and form to make any sort of escort... you need to leave, and tell them I'm alive and well." Demon told them, seeing he couldn't just leave his family in Nohr at the moment.

"Very well... I hope the next time we meet isn't on the battlefield, my lord," Kaze stated, bidding Demon goodbye.

"Don't count on it..." He chuckled, before turning his back on them, heading for the feast.

 _ **Well... I think I figured out why Father is so keen on this captain being brought back alive.**_

Demon returned to the feast, sitting amongst his family and friends, while Camilla brought out an Angel food cake, before kissing Demon on the right cheek. "Make a wish, my prince," she whispered as his siblings and friends sang.

 _ **I wish for a happy ending...**_

Demon blew out the candles on his cake, hoping even a birthday wish would help.

* * *

 _ ***The next day, during the battle at the Bottomless Chasm***_

Demon swung his brother's sword, ending the life of yet another Hoshidan. He slightly regretted the act, since he was technically going to be living with them pretty soon. Armored footsteps could be heard behind Xander as Demon quickly moved Xander out of the way from Scarlet's attack. Demon smiled behind his helmet seeing one of the women he was madly in love with.

 _ **Come on...run...**_

That moment ended when he felt something drive though his armor and dig deep into his flesh. "Scarlet, go! This one's armor is too tough..." A man's voice said from a fair way away from the prince.

Demon pulled out the shuriken with annoyance as he got in attack stance.

 _ **...I don't know this man... is he from that other realm like Selena?**_

Demon kicked the warrior back as he gave chase to Scarlet.

 _ **Just have to play this out like last time!**_

Demon was making a mad dash across the chasm, tackling Scarlet to the ground. Though the warrior that hit him with a shuriken cut the bridge causing the bridge to fall to the Norhian side. In an outrageous feat of agility and strength, he used one of the former posts as a footstool to clear the gap, pulling out a small blade as he landed. "There's no escaping me." Scarlet kicked Demon off her, as he got to his feet. Before the prince could give chase, the ninja intercepted and forced him back with a wide swipe. "You're not going any further either."

"I agree..." Demon said as he grabbed the accursed sword and flung it behind him in the chasm before drawing his blade. "Better this way..." Demon smiled through his helmet. The ninja didn't hesitate, taking the time the prince was talking to close the gap and strike, his weapon tearing through the armor with ease. Demon shook feeling the blades cut through the plate mail and slice in to the chain mail. Demon kicked him back seeing he was striking to kill.

 _ **Mother absolute fucker!**_

This ninja was not deterred by the blow, using the distance to throw a few needles and disappear in the distraction. "First rule of a fight... don't talk in front of the enemy. Only the weak and arrogant do so, and I ensure they suffer for it."

 _ **Sorry my arrogance is one of my successful traits...**_

Demon slammed the ground causing a wave of smoke and fire to engulf around him, before seeing his target through his third sensory vison his eyes provided him. Noticing he'd been spotted, the ninja moved away with blinding speed, moving from cover to cover before striking, landing a solid hit before running away again. "Your good... but slow. One hit from you would be hell..." The ninja threw a needle before attacking Demon's back.

 _ **Hypocrite...**_

Demon let loose another wave of fire surrounding him in an inferno blaze. While the clothing was singed, the ninja was relatively unharmed. He stayed silent in Demon's gaze before disappearing. "Fire... yeah... not a good idea to use on me."

 _ **Only one of my perks... Hinoka where the fuck are you?**_

The ninja struck again, letting loose a flurry of blows that the prince struggled to block. There was no opening to counter, no way to get out of it without taking a hit first, and Demon could already tell he was taking heavy damage. Whoever this ninja was, he was good. Smart. Capitalized on his opponent's weakened state to go for broke. Had it been any other man, that would have been it. However... this was Demon. Demon brought his foot down causing a tremor to throw the ninja up, as Demon brought his steel helmet on his head, throwing him back in to the tree line. "Okay... ow... didn't think you were literally able to make the ground shake..." The ninja groaned as he got back up.

"Hypocrite..." He only said while fixing his position.

"Hey..." The ninja smirked beneath his mask. "I never said I wasn't cocky." He tossed something on the ground, but Demon couldn't tell what they were.

"As much as I like to fight, I can't tarry here much longer, I was expecting...someone else." Demon said disapointed.

"That right? So... you wouldn't care then if I went back to help my girlfriend?" The ninja asked.

"Huh?" Demon asked.

"The blonde? On the wyvern?"

Demon stopped, as he dropped his blade, shaken from that response. "What?" Demon asked.

"Are you deaf as well as slow?" The ninja taunted.

 _ **Why you little shi...no wait...calm down Demon, Aynes is still in effect, this man is clearly goading me to a fight, and he's planning to strike to kill. Where the fuck is Ryoma and the rest of them?**_

A cloth suddenly was on his helmet, and he felt a splitting pain in his side, then his thigh before the footsteps disappeared.

 _ **Now...Now I'm**_ _ **angry...**_

Demon pounded the ground as he grabbed his blade ripping off the cloth. "Get a tree cut down now!" Xander ordered while Nohrian crossbow men began to fire across the chasm at the location of the ninja. He effortlessly dodged the fire, keeping his face down with his masking cloth now gone.

 _ **If this is just an assassin, I have no business here... Kaze must've said I flipped. That idiot.**_

Demon saw the ninja fly at him with insane speed, but his instinctive mind quickly and expertly dodged, and grabbed the Ninja's foot, yanking him down and making a clear upper cut punch under his jaw, sending him flying across the chasm in to a row of Nohrian archers. But doing so had done something unintentionally bad for him. He saw the ninja's face. A medium head of black, fluffy hair on his head, deep green eyes, and a scar just under his left tear duct.

 _ **Him...Shad... the prince that was kidnapped in Nohr...**_

There was a sudden splitting ache in Demon's head and he fell to the ground, clutching his skull.

"Damon, watch out!" Elise cried, as arrows rained behind him, luckily his armor plating held up firm before a battle cry of Hoshidan spearmen charged in. Demon quickly moved to his feet and gripped his blade sending them back with one swift blow. Ryoma clashed his blade down cutting his helmet and damaging it, while Hinoka enraged moved in past Ryoma. _**"NOHRIAN SCUUUUUMMMMMMM!"**_ Hinoka screamed out aiming her naginata down aiming for Demon's chest. Just as he was about to guard, a memory came to the surface, finally clear.

 _ ***Garon was carrying Damon on the back of his horse, Gunter carrying a small bundle in his arms. Without warning, there was a loud blast, and the horses were spooked, Gunter unintentionally throwing the bundle in the air. A ninja leapt out from the tree line and caught it before making a break for the forest again, toward the Hoshidan capital. "NOOOOOOOO!" Garon howled in anger, a glassy look in his eye as tears started to form. "SHAAAAD!"***_

Just as his mind was his again, Hinoka's naginata was a hair's breadth away from striking. There was no blocking or dodging this.

 _ **Oh this is going to hurt...**_

Demon was forced back as the blade went halfway in to his chest, causing him to cough up blood, falling to his knees. Demon's damaged helmet split in half falling to two pieces, he hesitantly raised his head up to meet Hinoka's gaze. The red head's look of fury turned into unfettered horror and regret in record time. "Oh gods... oh gods no..." She gasped.

Demon's right gauntlet moved to her cheek, taking a moment to see that she was alive, before throwing her to the side and ripping the blade out of his chest with his free arm. _**"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT?!"**_ Demon snapped as a volley of arrows hit him, before Ryoma immediately ordered the volley to cease, seeing Demon without his helmet.

"Damon!" Camilla screamed, ready to fly over on her wyvern before seeing just who landed in their army. "Hold your fire!" She shouted at the archers before they could shoot Damon, restraining herself landing the killing blow herself.

 _ **Cue pineapple fuck...**_

Demon got to his feet as he knew what was to follow. His last cognitive moments allowed Shad to see just who he was fighting, and guilt riddled his heart, with the last of his strength, he hurled a shuriken at Fujin Yumi, sending the arrow intended for Demon off course, missing entirely. That was the straw that broke Demon's mind as he stumbled and fell again, this time into the Bottomless pit.

…

* * *

A familiar throb in his chest caused Demon to wake, Hinoka was in a sobbing fit, seeing as how she almost killed him. "Hinoka, I keep telling you, it isn't your fault," Ryoma assured her. "Even Shad didn't realize it was Damon before it was too late. I think he actually did more damage than you did..."

Demon covertly kept his eyes closed, just listening in.

 _ **I don't know a naginata in my chest kind of did that for him... Well I don't see Takumi here so Ryoma I got to kick you, to put up an act...**_

Demon's right foot quickly reeled back and struck Ryoma in the chest causing him to fly through the paper door. "Graaagh!... he's either wake... or in a nightmare..." The High Prince guessed.

Demon quickly rolled on his stomach, as he crawled towards his equipment grabbing his blade and standing up, while feeling the blood drip from his chest. "Damon, stop!" Hinoka shouted, forcing the blade from his hands. "Your wounds are still open, and the poison isn't fully out of your system yet! You need to lay back down..."

"Prolonging my execution huh?" Demon coughed out weakly.

"Damon... don't you remember? It's me! Hinoka... Your big sister," the red head tried to remind him.

"I remember...getting stabbed by your Naginata..." He wheezed.

 _ **Play it dumb for a little longer...**_

Hinoka almost broke into a fresh fit before calming herself down. "Damon... your scared and hurt. I get that. But please, we can't explain anything until your healed up. Please... just lie down."

"No, no I get it let me guess... I'm actually your long-lost brother, kidnapped by the vile evil Nohrians?" Demon asked coughing out.

Hinoka stared awkwardly for a moment before giving him a nervous grin. "Uh... pretty much?"

"Nah, not buying it... there is no way we're blood related... don't look a thing like you... Save for the eyes of course..." Demon trolled.

"You have my brown hair as well," Ryoma grunted as he picked himself up. "Not to mention mother's eye shape... and last I checked, none of the Nohrian nobility has red eyes or brown hair either."

"I'll have you know my... mother was a...huh you got me there..." Demon scratched the back of his scalp.

"Your other brother already drew the resemblances... made it air tight just to help with getting you to see the truth," Ryoma chuckled.

"Well I hate to break away your lie... But, I know who my mother was... " Demon grunted as he straightened his form.

"Let me guess? A consort? A whore? A bar maid?" Ryoma guessed.

"No Queen Mikoto..." Demon said spitting out blood.

"So... the current queen of Hoshido? How is what I said a lie then?" Ryoma challenged him.

"Well...she was a rather staunch noble from another land, aaannd brought me to Hoshido when I was an infant..." Demon said limping over to Hinoka.

"… So you aren't entirely blood related to us... but you're still our brother."

"Oh no you knew, so don't try to fuck with me... Sumeragi made sure to tell you... and I'm sure Hinoka found out a letter that told all about my true heritage..." Demon grunted out.

"To a T... You seem to know a lot considering you've been in Nohr your whole life," Hinoka noted.

"Fucking loved it, treated me like family, and kept me mostly ignorant to my true heritage..." He said sitting down against the wall. "But Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise all wanted me to be...happy... and for a time I was..."

"Well, we do to," Hinoka smiled. "And so does Shad, when we get him back."

"Shad's home... he ain't going anywhere..." Demon grunted out in pain grabbing his canteen, drinking the wine in the casing.

Hinoka gave him a stern look. "Shad is just as much a brother to me as you are now. And I'll be damned if I let the Hoshidans take him from us."

 _ **I know your true feelings Noka...**_

Demon chuckled feeling the wine hit his soft spot. "I'll entertain that thought for now..." He hummed while he was still very much in pain, but it was tolerable. Demon put the cap on the canteen and put it back in the pile of his equipment. "So...where is mother?" Demon asked both Ryoma and Hinoka on the where abouts of his mother.

Ryoma thought for a moment. "Explaining the situation to Sakura and Takumi in the throne room."

"Alright...and maybe you want to get a better healer... because using thread and needle was just barbaric... or were you searching for something placed inside me?" Demon joked resting his head against the wall.

"Staves only do so much," Hinoka explained. "Stitching the larger wounds together helps the process and reducing scarring."

"mmmmm...well that answered that question...did you miss my heart?" Demon asked Hinoka as he shifted in his spot.

"Yes..." She muttered in guilt and embarrassment.

"Well good... otherwise I'd have someone with their hands in my chest stitching my heart back together..." He joked, while grabbing his sword to help him stand up on his feet.

"Please... lay back down..." Hinoka requested, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You need to recover... there's too much going on with you to move around too much."

"That's right 'Shad' was attempting to kill me..." Demon popped his neck, while his body was reacting to the venomous attack of the blade.

"He... really wanted to get you back," Ryoma sighed and rubbed his own neck. "That attack was actually a distraction for his spies to get into Nohr and look for you while taking down some of the heavier hitters, maybe even one of the nobles if we were lucky. With most attention on our attack, it'd be much easier to infiltrate."

 _ **Odd I thought mother would've been here sooner, after all I was gone for my known life back then. Flora... don't worry...**_

"Did you guys at least give me anti-venom?" Demon asked the two.

"Yes... but Shad makes his own brews," Hinoka sighed in exasperation.

"Sooo... you thought you were bringing up a corpse rather a wounded body?" Demon asked them.

Ryoma grimaced. "The thought was definitely there... It took all of Sakura's power to keep you alive on the way here."

Demon just stared at them with the thousand-yard stare. "Wow...the incompetence in Hoshido... I've been hit with a venomous attack, stabbed...rained with arrows...and fell to a ledge in the pit of the abyss... I have had a sucky day..." Demon winced as he tried to drink from his canteen again, but it was empty. Demon threw the canteen, enraged from running out of the only thing numbing the pain of the infected areas.

"Hey! The fact you didn't die on the battle field is a miracle in itself," Hinoka denied him, defending her home's honor. "Seriously. That stuff debilitates onis for days on end."

Demon laughed hearing that, seeing that he was not a fan of wyverns. "The fact that I didn't cut off my face from this?" Demon pointed his cross scar on his face. "Was a miracle... is that how you treat enemy nobles? Hit them with venom? Stab...you know what I'm trying to say..." He groaned, seeing he didn't want to restate what he went through.

The High Prince sighed and rubbed his temples, knowing this would come up. "Honestly? Hinoka was enraged about what you did to Shad but... that man in question is... well... more of a black sheep."

"Excuse me? What I did to Shad? HA!" Demon, laughed shifting in his armor, as he stood up blood dripping from his sides.

Hinoka gave him a flat look. "You uppercut him into a line of archers. That usually kills people."

"I defended myself... I fought true... I protected my lively hood..." Demon defended himself from the firing line. "I sent Kaze back to warn you string triggered bunch, that I'd find my way back to you guys... Shad wasn't in the plan though... I was hoping to run in to you first after I gave chase to Scarlet..." Demon sighed as he shook off his nerves feeling the rush of adrenaline course through his veins.

"Kaze returned not long after we left... we didn't have time to adjust the plan," Hinoka explained.

 _ **Was it too much to ask for him to make it back faster to intercept Ryoma?**_

Demon took a moment to gather himself. "Well... because of that spectacle, Xander and all my enraged siblings of Nohr is going to return that, with a show of force and Blitzkrieg Hoshido, killing all in their wake." Demon said to Ryoma, taking a moment to breathe in carefully.

The High Prince sighed. "Great... I'll need to start rallying forces for that now..."

"and I need to recover and stop Xander from doing any serious damage to Hoshido...which I know will be probably with in the week." Demon added, noting he was going to be back up on his feet sooner rather than later. "Seeing me alive, will get him out of his enraged state... and the less wounded I am... I have to prevent that confrontation; two armies clashing would not do good for either country."

The princess in the room thought it over before letting out a long sigh. "Sadly, I doubt it would help. Like it or not, this will be the start of the war. Whether it's over you or not."

Demon would not accept that answer. "look you two, I have... Important people in Nohr, and I'm not about to Nohr and Hoshido to rip each other to pieces because I was that Ace in the deck of cards to start it..." Demon explained. "I got two kids, and from my two maids..." He tried to down play his information for sympathetic reasoning rather than knowledge of the future. "And before you ask, yes...Polygamy is not looked down in Nohr...technically I'm not even married..." He groaned, trying to make himself look like an idiot.

Hinoka felt a pang of jealousy in her heart at those words. "I-Is that so?" She asked him with a slightly hurt look in her eyes. "We'll have to be sure to recover them then..."

 _ **What's with that look? You didn't have a problem with it last time?**_

Demon just gave Hinoka an odd look. "Well you can't... their village in the north of Nohr is being held hostage, with my maids being political hostages..." Demon added.

Ryoma patted his shoulder and gave the younger prince a reassuring look. "Well, when we start our campaign of Nohr, we'll be sure to free them first and foremost. Along with your children and Shad."

"Hell No...I'm not about to let Hoshido march right in to Nohr, that's not going to end well for either side." Demon was completely against, not to mention Garon would use his own children.

The High prince sighed and took a seat. "Damon... I don't see how we can then. War is inevitable at this point."

"Well simple let me go talk to my brother and stop his charge, problem solved..." Demon pointed out seeing Xander stopped his charge.

Ryoma gave him a look of fury, not directed at him, but at his enemy. "They killed our father... stole you, then Shad. This has become personal to us."

"Really now? Garon's children killed your father?" Demon asked crossing his arms against his chest.

"No... but that doesn't mean we can't punish who did."

"Sure, but going to war, throwing away lives?" Demon asked.

Hinoka tried to think of how to explain it. "If we don't, then we're on the defensive when Garon attacks. And he will. No matter what anyone says or does."

 _ **You stubborn fools...I know who to talk to...**_

Demon took a deep breath before exhaling. "I'm going to go have a word with Mother..." Demon said making a limp to the door. Hinoka made to stop him again, but Ryoma stopped her with a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Let him..." the High Prince stated, a hint of disappointment in his tone. Not for his brother, but for himself and how things were turning out.

Demon opened the sliding door and immediately stopped seeing the red Chevalian knight _**Scarlet.**_ "Eh?" Demon asked seeing she wasn't here before.

She blinked twice before stabbing something into his neck. "Sorry," the knight sighed as her brew flooded his system. "Mikoto's orders... You aren't to leave this room."

 _ **Ow fuck...should've saw that one coming... And...what didsssshhhhheeee say? No,n no...sumfing...not...right...**_

Demon moved his right hand under her jaw line. "Di..Did anyone tell you have beautiful eyes..." He slurred seeing the drugs and alcohol were mixing already. There was a pink dusting on her cheeks at his declaration before he fell into her arms.

"One person did... a few years back..." Scarlet replied as she placed him in his bed.

 _ **No...stop...get up... Get up...Get up...move...this is time consuming...get angry... bring out the pain..**_

Demon's eyes slowly flickered as the struggle was almost too much for his mind, between healing and counteracting the drugs his body was shutting down. His last glimpse of cohesive thought saw Scarlet and his siblings leaving so he could get some much-needed rest.

* * *

Demon awoke with a gasp in the middle of the night, boiling mad, as he searched the room with the lights out from the candles being blown out.

 _ **She Drugged me! Gods damn it!**_

Demon used his mana to light the candles so he can see what he could do. While the pain from Hinoka and the archer's shots was dulled considerably, the strikes from his brother were burning like they were fresh cut, despite being sealed up for the most part.

 _ **History has changed... it's all different... I have to get out of here...**_

Demon winced limping to his armor and equipment before whishing his mana in his right hand to equip it all. "No time like the present... Got to get moving..." Demon said to himself limping to the door as he slid it open to make sure no one was out in the hall. Due to how long ago the memories of this place were in his original time line, they were significantly faded. And he didn't have much time to memorize the layout either, only being there for around a week. So, suffice to say, he had no idea where he was going as he stumbled about the wood floor.

Demon looked around in the dark and quietly moved towards an end to the hall seeing several doors. Each room had a language native to Hoshido, a language he never learned. "Damn it..." He looked at each door before he took the one in the middle, sliding it open to see what he can find to help in his escape. The interior was clean for the most part, except for a table on one of the walls that was covered in scrolls and what looked to be an elaborate alchemy set. Ingredients were neatly placed in separate areas, ranging to animal parts to plants and even dead insects.

 _ **Where the Hell is the equipment? I need to make my way outside, and what I have on me is not going to help me..**_

As he turned to leave, he tripped and fell over a scroll at his feet, sending him headfirst onto the floor. Demon swore loudly and picked up the offending document before noticing something odd; it was written in Nohrian.

It was a rough translation, but a translation none of the less... and judging by the penmanship and ink, it looked to be written a few years back. His mind filled in the gaps as he read the scroll, now intrigued at what it could have said.

 _Hello. My name is Shad... Damn, this is stupid...but, necessary if I want to be able to read and forge Nohrian documents. I've decided to start keeping my more personal logs in Nohrian, both to practice and to keep my siblings from decoding it easily... Heh. Like they're blood at all. I don't know much about who I am exactly, but my not being Hoshidan is one of them. I don't have the same structure, eye color or anything that could point to me being born here. But that doesn't matter. These people raised me and are just as family to me as my own blood would be._

Demon felt a spear at the back of his neck, freezing immediately as he recognized that it was Scarlet, and him being in the dark did not help his situation.

 _ **```fuck```**_

"Get out..." Scarlet hissed, her tone pained.

Demon took one breath, before moving his blade to her spear quickly slapping it to the ground putting the blade to her neck. "Back off..." He warned stepping closer with a limp.

She took a step closer, forcing him to pull his blade back lest he kill her. "No... you leave this room. Now!"

"Woman would you shut your mouth, you're being awfully loud..." Demon said in an anoyed tone.

"You have a sword at my neck. I could scream and have the entire castle here in seconds," she countered.

"You had a spear at mine..." Demon retorted.

Her red eyes pierced him. "Because you're in a room no one is allowed to go in anymore."

Demon growled a bit, this was not right, none of them were acting like the way they used to. "Well La de da... Now, move out of my way... or else." Demon gave her a warning.

Scarlet glared before stepping back and picking up her spear. "Fine. But you're going back to your room."

"Oh no I'm not, you see I'm getting out of here and going to go stop this stupid war, or else I burn down this room." He chuckled as he was dead serious of leaving.

With a quick flick of her wrist, the pommel of her spear flung his sword out of his hand and swept his legs from underneath him. Scarlet kicked the blade away and held him at spear point. "Try me..." She growled hostilely.

"As you wish..." Demon said with a shrug, sacrificing his left shoulder as he moved the spear in to his bone, moving upwards and pinning her down to the ground. "You stupid, proud, woman..." Demon hissed in pain. He felt something bite into his hip and inject something in him.

"He might have rejected me..." Scarlet growled as she shoved him off, his body beginning to fail him. "But I will protect what he's left behind."

"Mmmm _ **...HMmmmha...he...hah.. .."**_ Demon cheaked up slowly as he spat out blood. "Sorry doll... that only works when I'm drunk..." He winced grabbing his blade, "A bit doozy though..." He slurred a bit.

Scarlet leapt up as she grabbed her spear and literally kicked him out of the room before following him out and closing it. "Queen Mikoto's orders. You are to stay in your room until you are fit to leave."

"Bull shit! I know what's going on, you all think I'm crazy, maybe even mad... but the fact of the matter is, I have to save you all from yourselves..." Demon hissed.

"She isn't lying," a long familiar voice stated. "It was under my orders that you stay in your room for now."

 _ **Mom?**_

Demon turned around to face his mother, sheathing his sword. "Mom?" Demon asked with caution. "Is that you?"

Mikoto nodded with a smile laced with gladness and disappointment. "Indeed... I came to visit you since you wanted to speak with me, according to your siblings... but to think you'd try to leave yourself..."

"Yeah... I was expecting you to be at my room... but you weren't...just told me I wasn't welcomed in your eyes, so I went to go do my thing and save people... " Demon explained in his own point.

The queen gave him a hurt and offended look. "My order was for your own good. You can hardly walk, let alone fight."

"When on the Gods green Earth...was that ever your concern? My own good? You have no idea of my own good? Hell, you hardly even know me... the only thing you did was give birth to me and I get kidnapped... My own good was my well being and happiness..." Demon stood his ground in defiance.

Those words struck deep in her, but she pressed on with a hint of venom in her voice. "Perhaps not... but I refuse to lose another child. Especially to his own reckless nature."

"Right because I could've died a few hours earlier and you didn't take the time to come see your long lost son." Demon argued.

"You think I didn't try?!" Mikoto asked him, tears in her eyes.

"Oh what stopped you? You're the fucking queen of Hoshido, you could've done anything you damn well pleased." Demon said with a low tone.

"... Do you even know what it means to be a ruler? A true king? I just lost someone the kingdom treasured dearly and the people were in a panic!"

 _ **Oh the Irony... I was a King too...for all it did me any good...**_

"listen... 'Mom' I feel you...but I got two kids at home...yeah grandchildren for you... They're... probably worried sick about me... and I'm doing what I have to, to stop this damn war..." He said reverting a bit back to Damon.

Mikoto rubbed her temples and calmed down herself. "I... understand that. As a parent myself and someone who doesn't want this war either, I want to help you. But how do you expect to do much of anything when you can hardly fight?"

"I can... hobble just fine..." He groaned under breath.

"Right. And when a large group of bandits attacks and you can't escape?" She questioned. "… I don't wish to force you to stay. But you at least need to heal."

"You're not giving me a choice... are you?" Demon asked Mikoto.

A small tear ran down her eye as she embraced him. "I'd rather live with your resentment than your blood on my hands... because I couldn't help you when you were hurt and died for it..."

Demon gritted his teeth, he was living hostage in his own madness and their 'hospitality.' "….." His rage boiled over as the rattling from his armor was apparent, and clenched fists.

Mikoto picked up on this and asked one key question. "Or would you rather actually die and leave your children and lover alone? Because you weren't well enough to make the journey to get back to them?"

… _ **. how dare you...**_

Demon bit his tongue, knowing she wasn't backing down, all he did was remove himself from the situation and limp back to his room. "Thank you," Mikoto breathed out in relief; finally, something was going right today. "I know you aren't happy about this, but I'll make it up to you when this is all settled. I promise."

 _ **I'm trying to save you all... and you all want to fall on that pointy sword...**_

Demon shut his door, falling against the frame of the door, as he began to brood.

 **Can you blame them though? It's not like they know what's coming. And we can't really tell them either.**

 _ **Oh the gangs all back huh?**_

 _ **Good to hear from you again too, Demon.**_

 _ **Well it's official...it's now Me, myself, and I... against the coming war.**_

 **Appears that way. But look man... I know we, or rather you, aren't too big on the whole empathy thing, but think about it from mom's perspective. One of her kids is likely dead, and the one who's finally returned is on death's door. I don't really blame her for wanting to protect us.**

 _ **Did you forget, that we lost Max?! He died in my arms!**_

 _ **No. But that isn't until much later and when we didn't have so many new faces with us. Don't try lying to yourself. Those memories of yours are next to useless now. Look at how much has changed already! Longer lasting wounds, everyone over here is hurt over that Shad guy getting taken, and then there's that whole drama with Scarlet. Nothing here is like it was then, so it's best to try and go with the flow until we figure out the extent of the changes. Perhaps another romp in that room is in order?**_

 _ **I forgot how much I hated myself, your advice isn't helping stopping that destined war at that bridge of fates.**_

 **About that though... even with the new faces, things have stayed relatively the same. You still got taken by Garon, raised in the Northern Fortress, met Flora and Felicia at the same time... may some points in time are fixed while others can be altered?**

 _ **No, they're completely different, Scarlet has this mood to her...which means being with her might not happen... Hinoka didn't spend her whole life looking for me, so I'm just some random no body to her, and she thinks she lost her chance with me...**_

 **To be fair, you literally just said you had lovers and kids to her face.**

 _ **That means I wasn't limited or tied down, and hoping they'd back off to get them to stop talking...plus it could've dissuaded them from the war... seeing how there are people down there..**_

 _ **Thus that fixed point theory. It's likely you can do nothing without alerting the Dark One to our knowledge. And what if you do prevent it and he finds out? You think he's just going to wait like last time and let you do as you wish with your knowledge?**_

 _ **Well I'm fucked...**_

 **Actually, that Shad guy... Pam spoke like he lived through that hit and Camilla's wrath. He's apparently our ace and wild card. Who knows? Maybe he'll do something we don't know about yet?**

 _ **We have less than a week... before words and blades start flying...that's all I'm going to say..**_

* * *

 _ **Two Days later...**_

Demon awoke from his sleep as he heard two sets of feet hit the ground, though he refused to move as he just laid in bed with his back turned to the girls. "Looks like we found someone in a bad mood," Selena joked as she took a seat next to the prince. "… you're alive..." She turned him around as he pretended to play dead with all the injuries, stiches and sores on his chest. "Gods... what happened to you?!"

Beruka quickly put her hands around Selena's mouth trying to keep her quiet, seeing as they were deep in enemy territory. "Thought she could have been quieter, I must agree. Those wounds look grievous..."

His red eyes cracked open seeing Selena and Beruka. "Great... I'm hallucinating..." He said, barely containing a laugh, turning around to face the wall and cover up.

"I still believe an explanation is in order..." The assassin pressed. "We weren't at the fight when you were apparently killed. What happened?"

"Wait... Hallucinations don't talk back..." Demon said moving his hands over to their heads, faces, and then chests.

Selena punched his shoulder halfheartedly as Beruka continued to talk. "Enough joking around... Everyone is going through hell back home because we thought you died..."

"Ow! SFFF damn it... well I almost did you crazy... Beautiful... Burgandy haired... assassin." He said with a huff, while wincing from the pain in his shoulder.

"Flattery aside, Selena and I weren't there. All we hear was you were attacked and fell into the abyss... yet here you are. Recovering."

"I was... Stabbed... shot... hit with venomous blades...sliced, and broke my rib cage during that fall... they hauled my body here, stitched me up and are keeping me here..." Demon said with a huff.

Selena gave him an incredulous look. "The fact you are still alive is nothing short of a miracle."

"I'm pretty sure Leo is going to have a field day with my 'devil's luck' theory' " He half joked.

Selena chuckled at the joke before letting out a sigh. "Damn... now what? We can't very well haul your useless ass back to Nohr but we can't just leave you alone either."

"First of all...ouch... That hurt Selena, and I thought we had a connection going..." He winced as he sat up slowly.

"Profanity aside, she has a point," Beruka started to explain. "You aren't exactly known for your stealth, and in your condition, that slim dropped to an impossible one."

"So good that my protectors are actually protecting me from my own ideocracy..." He joked patting Beruka on the head.

She blushed slightly from the contact before continuing, turning to Selena. "I think it best if one of us leaves to give a report to the others in Nohr while another stays here to watch over Damon. Whoever leaves can return to continue watch over him afterwards. We can switch who goes out every few days. I volunteer to do this first." The assassin stood and looked to the window. "Now that I know where we are, it shouldn't be too big a problem." She took a leap up and scrambled out, leaving her friend and master's brothe alone.

Demon remained silent as he shifted his head on Selena's lap. "What took you so long?" Demon asked Selena, rubbing the back of his head on her legs.

"Outside of knowing nothing about Hoshido's geography? We did have to sneak in," Selena pointed out.

"Oh good, now I can listen to you bitch about me, being stupid, sloppy, and hot headed..." He joked. "Lay it on me..." He gave her a trollish smile.

The red head only smirked as she replied. "Why should I have to? All those scars on you say it all, mister battle prodigy."

"OOoooo... that cut deeper than those scars...good one..." He joked, moving his head closer to her stomach.

"Yeah yeah... yuk it up you lug..." Selena let out a long sigh.

"let me guess, you think Camilla is going to reward you for your excellent service, for finding me? Going to that beach?" He lapped it up.

"Partially... but also kinda sad to see you think it's so funny that we thought you almost died... it hurt everyone when you fell into that abyss."

"When did I say it was funny? You must be imagining things..." Demon brushed off the accusation.

Selena gave him a mock sour look. "Hey, you're the one joking about it."

"When?" Demon asked, seeing he had no recollection of saying such thing.

"Pretending we were hallucinations, thinking I was going to tear into you over almost getting killed... the only reason I would is to make sure it doesn't happen again... which I doubt. The bastard who you were fighting was locked up when Beruka and I left."

"You're a sweet thing Selena..." Demon said moving his arms around her waist, nestling his head in her stomach.

Normally she would have punched him for it, but this time she allowed it, wrapping her arms around his waist in return. "I'm not going to dignify that with a scathing remark..."

"That's why I love you..." He said with a smile, knowing she would act in such a way, knowing a way through a Tsundere's mind was through her heart.

A knuckle found his head. "Don't throw that word around whenever you want. Especially when you don't mean it."

"Don't mean it?" Demon asked slowly sitting up from his bed, to look at her. "Who says I don't mean it?" He asked the protector.

Selena ignored the comment and got up. "I should get back to hiding. Gods know when someone's going to walk through that door."

"Hey it's late, no one's busting down that door... you tell me what that means? I don't mean it... I want to hear it from your lips not from your prideful thoughts..." He said to the woman, while a throb in his chest was hurting him. The pain brought back memories of how he was... broken, useless, dependent... Demon snapped, as he shot up from the bed startling Selena.

Demon immediately began to unravel his bandages as quick as he could, gritting his teeth, hearing his own heart beat. His envenomed wounds weren't even that bad to his surprise, it was the arrow and naginata wound that was really doing it for him. "Wow... none of that looks okay..." Selena stated, seeing as the chest wound in particular was looking a bit of a sickly purple. Demon grabbed the knife tied to her boot, moving the curved edge to the barely held strings of threads and began to start cutting them one by one. "So... what do you intend to do then? Call for backup?""

"Look away..." Demon said to Selena, as he heated the dagger up, before opening his chest wounds up and started to plunge the blade in to the infected areas, burning and letting out a sizzling sound, followed by a rancid smell. Sickly greens, whites and yellows spurted from the heated areas, but the purple faded to an angry red at the very least.

"Do you uh... need a towel?" Selena asked, holding her nose.

"Go boil some water and get some thread and a needle." Demon said calmly moving the blade downwards, stabbing the next area.

"Okay, wait," the mercenary stopped him, grabbing his arm and pulling it out of the wound. "Nothing else until we get all that... junk off you," she ordered, pointing out the infected residue.

"Just hurry, I have a heated dagger in a wound... when you get the boiled water do what I say." Demon ordered her.

Selena sighed and snuck off into the kitchen, swiping a filled pot of water and bringing it back to the room. "Give me a light, I wasn't about to carry a boiling pot all the way back here."

Demon sparked the pot causing the bottom to turn red hot, boiling water for her. "Thank you." She used a pair of tongs to put a few towels in the water, heating them up while saving a couple more to dry him off.

Demon moved down to each infected area around his scarring flesh. "There is one more place, her Naginata's blade almost hit my left lung..." Demon looked down inside his chest moving his flesh around a bit seeing the infected tissue.

* _ **TTTTSSSSSZZZZZZZZCHHHHTTTT***_

Demon's eyes went blood shot as he could feel the heated poke, removing the dagger, her grabbed the string of thread. What Demon did next brought light to Selena's eyes as he grabbed the top of the thread running his finger down the length turning the fabric thread in to a metal coil of wire. "Um... how do you know how to do all this?" She asked, trying to strike up conversation.

"Alchemy, funny thing... " He said putting the wire through the needle.

The mercenary nodded. "Huh... I saw a lab a few rooms down... you want me to see if there's anything useful in there?"

"This is the fun part..." Demon said with a hiss, as he started to spark the thread and needle, glowing red hot, Demon lanced the sliced flesh causing steam and sizzling skin to boil his skin. Demon drove the hot needle to the cross point where the flesh opened. Pulling up he pulled the thread and needle through before crossing over to the next section. He repeated the process twenty times. Demon tightened the wiring. His mana began the recuperating stages starting to mend his flesh and scaring, grabbing a cloth he put it in the boiling water before grabbing the hot cloth cleaning the stitched area wiping it. "This is to clean the closed area..." Demon explained to his protector.

"Um... wouldn't it have been smarter to clean the pus and stuff off before you started opening wounds?" Selena asked him, poking a hole in everything he just did.

"No, trust me you don't want to flush out anything further into your blood... mine being everywhere and in my chest? It was safer to burn it out, then flush it in my blood stream..." He said grabbing his sword putting it to his own fire.

"Right... first aid isn't my specialty..." The red head sighed, slightly embarrassed that her logic was debunked in a snap.

"It's alright, now Selena I need you do do something and you're not going to like it..." Demon said handing his blade to her. "Cauterize it... " He said laying down for her. She swallowed hard and took the blade, slamming down on her nerves to keep her hand from shaking.

"Just place the hot blade on my skin, seal the stiches in to place, this will close up the skin for good, and I can remove the stitches within a week." Demon advised her as the red hot searing blade was sizzling and glowing.

"Okay... sorry about this..." She pressed the blade to his skin, the room immediately smelling like a carcass.

* _ **SSSSSSSSSSSZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT***_

Demon's eyes began to flicker and twitch, as he was counting down to ten. "Up." Demon said to her, telling her to move the blade up. She nodded and complied, the proecess going on for a few moments.

"Is that it?" Selena asked after sealing another portion, the scent making her sick.

Demon looked at the cloth taking it out of the water and wiping it down. Demon used his mana to ignite the blade again. "One more time..." Demon said laying back down, seeing it needed to seal properly.

The foreign beauty gulped and suppressed a gag. "I swear, I'm going to vomit..." She pressed the blade to him one last time, almost holding true to her word as the scent pounded her again.

"Do you want to...hear something? Medics sometimes don't brush their teeth out in the field...you want to know why?" Demon asked as the flesh seared.

"If I throw up on you because of this, it's on you..." She muttered, trying to keep her stomach from rebelling.

"So the smell of decay doesn't bother them... They put their own hygiene at risk... To save someone's life... barbaric, but when there isn't a healer?... the smell of flesh becomes natural...Alright... up." Demon said with a wince.

"Gods... I can't imagine living without magic now more than ever..." She shivered, quenching the blade in a spare pot of water.

Demon's hands were trembling as he grabbed the cloth submerging it in hot water before applying to his wounds, rubbing the area. He paused as he slowly got up helping her up. "Now...now the bandaging..." Demon motioned for the clean bandages.

"Uh... here... I need to open a window..." Selena bolted for the opening in the wall after handing him the wrappings, taking in gulps of fresh air to keep herself from passing out.

" _ **Severa...**_ I need you to help me with this." Demon said her true name.

She stopped dead, the smell not an issue anymore. "Where... how do you know that name?" She asked with suspicion in her voice.

"When you have a blade above me at all time? I had to find out who you really were to make sure you weren't an assassin...your name came up." Demon lied expertly.

She gave him an accusing glare. "Yeah, nice try. Only two people knew my real name coming into Nohr and we swore to each other not to tell _anyone_ what they were."

"...you're right there is no use lying to you... I could never lie to you with a straight face..." Demon turned around to meet her gaze.

"So, what is it then?" She questioned him.

"Would you believe we knew each other in another life?" Demon asked Selena.

A frown marred her face. "… No. I know for a fact we didn't."

"…..Well we did, in my life I knew a lot about you..."

"Shut up..." Selena growled.

"How do you think I came across your name, or know about that Kimono you kept in your possession from a gift that one of your friends got for you?" Demon asked. "That enough? Or do you need more proof?" Demon asked.

"...Where's the brand then? Huh?" Selena asked, her tone cold as ice. "All the times I've see you, never once have you shown it."

"….. Severa I know it sounds crazy but... you and I we... we had something..." Demon tried to explain to her, while knowing he had no other proof. That is, until a few things started to click together. "You... Wait...no, no, hold on I'm not claiming to be someone from your place, Hell no... I'm talking about here in the civil war that's about to happen..." Demon tried to correct himself.

"Save it..." Selena scoffed as she headed out of the room, clearly hurt over her own past.

"Gods damn it... Selena wait..." Demon grabbed her arm. "Please... just wait, I'm sorry ok... I just wanted to tell you I love you... okay? Was that so hard...actually yeah that was hard for me to say..." Demon said to himself.

"… You wanna know something? Part of me believes you. Mainly because I've done it myself. But you? Do you have any idea what you're doing right now? Trying to pull this on me here, when it's clearly not supposed to happen?"

"not supposed to happen? You kissed me ...back then... you were excited to see me, perked up, for Gods sakes Selena you...you were..." Demon clenched his fits taking a step back turning around towards the window.

"Yeah... and you know what? I was. And I probably would have accepted it," the mercenary chuckled. "But now?"

"No... Stay away from me... go far away from me... I can't bring someone in to this world like that ever again..." Demon said as he started to back away from her, nearing the opened window. Flashes of pure bliss, romance, and passion filled his head, not paying attention to where he was walking behind. Followed by flashes of bodies, blood, and tears.

"Oh, don't you worry... it would have happened. But _you_ blew it. Not some wyvern shit alternate timeline."

 _ **"STOP!**_ _ **S̷̳͚̻̬̻̳̖̋I̝̝̓ͮ͋̀ͥLȆ̗̜̝Ǹ͒ͥČ̷̨͈̗̲͗̔̍̈́Ḛ̸̹̲͔͐́!̻̫ͮ̑͡͡**_ _ **" Demon snapped as he looked out the edge of the window, shaking with fear and pain.**_

Selena looked at him with a pitying look. "Fine... I'll stop. But I suggest you take a long look at what you actually came here to do. Otherwise?" She pulled him away from the window and shoved him back to his bed. "You're only going to make things worse." She climbed out the window and shut it behind her, looking out at the landscape while making sure he didn't do anything drastic.

Demon, enraged kick the window open grabbing her by her shoulders slamming her to the wall. "You want to know why I act the way I did?! "

"Because everyone died?" She asked bluntly.

"YOU DIED! STABBED, THROUGH THE BACK!" He snapped.

She stared him down with a knowing look in her eyes. "And?"

" _ **YOU WERE FUCKING PREGNANT!"**_ Demon cried looking at her.

"Happy as that makes me... why rush it then? You knew it was going to happen, so why not let it run its course?"

"I never got the time... I never...got the time with you... I wanted to have all the time I could..." He said to her.

"Yeah... and It's that selfish attitude that got Lucina's dad killed too... and my mom... my own father... almost everyone I've ever known..." She seethed.

"….I saw it happen to me...twice... Betrayed, abandoned, loved, lost it all..."

Selena had the gall to laugh. "You think you have it rough?! I had that second chance! And me, and all of my friends, fucked it up! Because we got greedy! Like you're being now!"

"….I wasn't greedy in the last time... I did everything right... Then I was stopped..."

"Oh? Did you now? You made every right call, did everything picture perfect? Fate just went against you? Or did you make a bad call near the end? And that's what screwed us over?" Her words stung. Harshly. Mainly because it was the truth.

"….Yes, the defining moment...I chose to try and attack Garon while attempting to save my daughter, Kana..."

"Yeah... and you're doing it again by rushing things, trying to get more time than you should have." Selena sighed and pushed him off, rubbing her temples. "Okay... I get it. Alright? I really, honestly do."

"You really..."

"But!" Selena cut him off.

" _ **Don't...**_ I fought twisted...we fought twisted versions of our kids...I don't know how...I don't know why? But it was apparent? It...did things to me...told me what I wasn't... A good father...a lover..."

"I meant what you're going through now, if you'd listen to me," Selena sighed, patting his shoulder. "And honestly, it can't have been that accurate if you managed to seamlessly juggled multiple lovers, if my inclusion as well as Flora and Felicia is any indication."

"I rather you...flee... I don't want to put Karen through that again..." He said slumping down against the wall.

"… What happens is up to you," the mercenary sighed, sitting against the other wall. "If you'd rather I find someone else, fine. I will. But you have to make this work _without_ shifting how it happened from now on."

 _ **This isn't my Selena... I don't belong here...**_

 **Um... dude. You made it that way this time. That's her point. You tried to rush things and it backfired. And it seems she's still willing to give it a shot, but you can't keep doing this!**

 _ **No... I'm going to do something I should've probably never done...to be that person that was supposed to sacrifice himself for the greater good... if I never made those connections in the war? None of that would've happened... that was on me... and me alone...**_

 _ **Yes. But at the same time, you wouldn't have fallen for any of these women, would you? Some of them only fell during the fighting.**_

 _ **They're not the same... The outcomes are all different, Hinoka is distant from me... Scarlet is weakened in will.**_

 **Aaaaand you're just going to give up? Gods, I knew we came back for a reason... you're split again.**

 _ **No...I'm just not going to care this time...fuck the consequences, fuck these choices and fuck this place...**_

 **So what?**

 _ **You're simply going to abandon the ones you love because they aren't one for one with what happened? It is far too early in the timeline to determine what can and won't happen!**_

 _ **And how we fell in love is completely different, how she moved and advanced her feelings were different.**_

 **Big fucking deal! If you really love them all as much as you say you do, you'd make it work!**

 _ **We were fated, then...but now? I can't feel anything.**_

… _**So you're letting that man win then? The one who said, and I quote, "Now you truly know how it feels to lose it all?"**_

 _ **I̵̱ͣt̪ͩͫ'̝̈́͠s ̠̾̎timͅe̽͜.̔ͨ͒.̶̶̊.. ͗to play a game with fate.**_

… _**I won't be helping you leave. If you're to do it, it will be as a man.**_

 _ **Stuff it flying fuck, you're in my body, and I command you.**_

Demon stood up from the floor grabbing his sword, as he moved over to his equipment, he used his mana, to mend his equipment placing his armor back on. There was a knock at his door. "Hey, uh... Damon, right?" Scarlet's voice asked from the other side.

Demon was about to open the door but suddenly... Demon out of the darkness was tackled by a smaller figure with blonde hair, wielding a curved cursed knife. Scarlet could hear the sudden crash in the room. "Time to die daddy..." Aynes said under her hood, bringing the blade closer to his chest.

 _ **YOU!**_

Demon grabbed her arms keeping the blade away from his chest. She let out a low laugh as she ignited a flame. "You know... momma Flora took this for you last time... wanna see how it feels now?"

"You little shit.." Demon growled quietly as he tried to keep the blade out of his armor and wound. Slowly but surely, she started making headway, his weakened body failing him.

 _ **I̵̱ͣt̪ͩͫ'̝̈́͠s ̠̾̎timͅe̽͜.̔ͨ͒.̶̶̊.. ͗to let go fool...**_

Demon struggled with all his might to keep the blade from his skin as the armor was melting around the blade. A loud shout shocked both of them, and the blonde girl was punted off by Scarlet. "I don't know who you are... but you aren't killing my ward..." The other blonde growled at the girl.

" _ **hehehehehehehehehhehehehe..."**_ She chuckled under her hood, her blonde hair a mess and in strings. _**"I was soooo close...tooo... but you're going to have to step aside... like riiight now..."**_ Aynes said sheathing her dagger.

Scarlet did not falter. "No... I'm not," she stated evenly, her spear in hand.

She summoned her own spear, electric and covered in a dense steel. _**"Your funeral..."**_ She cheered moving forward as she made a mad dash for the two. She stopped, feeling a pressure in her head and groaned. "But Uncle- Fine..." She sent a venomous glare at the two. "Don't think this is over." She jumped back, melding into the shadows and disappearing from sight.

Demon was trembling as he fell to the ground, sighing as he came close to the cold embrace. "Just another second..." Demon huffed out.

"That... was way too close. I'll have to have Mikoto post more guards around here..." Scarlet sighed.

"Don't bother... the shadows provide the gateway... it's how the traverse like the way you saw her go away?" Demon asked.

"Fine then... Guess I won't," the blonde knight sighed and turned to Demon. "Hey, uh... about a few nights ago-"

"No... I'm sorry." Demon apologized to her.

"No, no... I'm sorry," the knight bowed. "I completely over reacted."

"No, it was my ignorance, and arrogance... I escalated..." Demon continued to apologize.

Scarlet couldn't help but giggle at the sheer absurdity of what was happening. "Let's just say we're both to blame, agreed?"

"More of me actually, you were just doing your duty... me? I was being an ass... looking to get out." Demon argued.

"Well... I still wanted to start over," she stated, sticking out her hand.

"You sure? My heart is stiff and frozen... now would be the time to break it." Demon joked.

"I could... but I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone myself," the knight laughed.

"Really? You could be doing that nutbar who just attacked me a load of favors..." He said to her.

"Nah... knowing how it feels myself? I just couldn't." The blonde smiled sadly.

"...You're trying to do something similar with me? I'm an enemy combatant-officer-Noble..." Demon reminded her.

"No, you're the son of a country I'm trying to ally with," Scarlet retorted. "And I am Scarlet. A knight of Cheve. It's nice to meet you..."

"Occupied Cheve... hopefully to be free soon..." Damon said nodding at her knowing the Chevalian struggles.

"… It's nice to meet you, mister..." She was a bit more jokingly aggressive this time, almost shoving her hand into him.

"Damon..." Demon said, holding out his hand. She clasped it and shook, smiling at him brightly.

 _ **That smile is going to kill me...**_

"It's nice to meet you, Prince Damon," the knight smiled at him.

"I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty to clean my own wounds...re stiched it."

"Oh... that's actually part of the reason I came here," she chuckled to herself.

Demon raised an eyebrow. "Did you want to inspect?" He asked the woman.

"To make sure you're doing alright, yeah," she replied with a smirk, knowing what he was trying to get at.

Scarlet was shocked that he was already out of his armor rather quickly, as he pulled his shirt over his head. "Here..."

 _ **I'll forever hold that memory of you Scarlet...when you lost to me and were forced to wear that skimpy maid uniform...**_

… **Hate to say I told you so, buuuuuut... I'm part of you. So yeah. Told ya.**

Scarlet saw his chest, looking at the work done to it, seeing how fast and clean he had to operate. Wired stitches, burns from cauterizing. "Well?" Demon asked the Knight.

"Looks like you did alright... for being by yourself and all," she nodded, a bit suspicious of the treatment, but approving none the less.

Demon paused seeing Selena didn't come over to help him during his scuffle. "…..Yeah ...alone ...Thanks..." Demon said with a slight frown, feeling his heart pull after that skirmish with Selena...no _**Severa...**_ Selena was someone from his time that actually had an attraction, and not once did it falter. Demon was still getting over the fact that the added faces meant something else entirely. Hinoka could be distant from him for good meaning what was to happen on the bridge...she won't look for him. Whatever happens is already set in motion. The way some people were acting, put him on an expanded path rather than a narrowed tunnel vision... he was scared.

 _ **Flora and Felicia fell in love with me on earlier circumstances... Camilla is still there... outside of that? My Noka is changed... Scarlet fell in love... Severa... she's different and most likely fell in love with this Robin guy, when he didn't do anything? I'm looking at this completely different...**_

 _ **Hmph. About time.**_

 _ **Do you really...really think it's appropriate to poke the beast?**_

 _ **No...**_ He could literally feel the dragon smirking in his head. _**Do you?**_

 _ **Don't forget who your talking to... I am the Demon King...my fear and recognition goes over your primal insanity you flying fuck...**_

 _ **Fair enough... but before I go, I must warn you of something. And this is by no means a joke at all. There was a far stronger dragon than us on that battlefield. FAR stronger. I suggest you remain cautious until we find out who that is.**_

 _ **The Bigger they are... the harder they fall...**_

"Hey. You feeling alright?" Scarlet asked, concern on her face.

A last look at the window. "Just a little alone... I hate it..." He said with a heavy heart.

The crimson knight sighed and pulled him into an embrace. "Gods... what are we going to do with you? I'll let everyone know you're doing okay enough for visits now. I'll be sure to pop in every now and again too if you want."

Demon froze as he nuzzled his head on her left shoulder silently letting out a stuttered exhale of air. For Demon this was the best and closest he was going to get to her, feeling the pained sense of regret and inaction of advancing anything with her. "If you don't mind tomorrow morning I'd like to get some fresh air and take a walk around..." Demon suggested.

The knight nodded and patted his head. "Sounds like a plan to me."

"Maybe near a lake... I saw a really beautiful one outside my window..." Demon said with a sigh.

"Yeah... the view there is pretty good," the blonde knight agreed. "One of the princesses likes to hang out there too, I think."

It wasn't much but it was enough to keep him going for a short time, as Demon's lost sense of regret was now apparent.

* * *

 _ **Two days later...**_

Demon was eating out of his bowl, with chopsticks almost expertly, as he retained the knowledge of his past life thanks to Hinoka... he knew it wouldn't be appropriate for Hinoka to feed him, as she didn't harbor the dedication to go after him... from what he gleamed from rumors and stories around the castle, that was apparently due to a fight that left both her and some monster of a fighter scarred badly.

Hearing that made him hate this life for her, as she was his Noka...it was unfair seeing she had to go through a cold realization of pain to realize that chasing him all alone wasn't the way... yet that chase got her dedicated to do more and more to get Damon back. All Demon could do was share one rare sad glance, seeing he didn't know how to get with her, since she was completely different, more reserved, less hot headed. But most of all, the overall tone of the capital felt... somber. Empty even.

He immediately missed the pain of his chest, to take his mind off the situation worsening. "Sake... please." Demon held out his glass. Sakura passed him the bottle, just like last time.

Demon's hands touched Sakura's rather gently, causing her hand to shiver, feeling the contact dropping the Sake vase on his lap breaking it. "I-I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, her shyness coming out.

"It's alright..." Demon said grabbing a napkin wiping off the liquid. "Great, I'm going to smell like fermented plum and rice..." He joked, putting the pieces on to the table. To his surprise, Takumi chuckled at the joke.

"That isn't too bad now, is it?" The prince asked with a small smile. "It isn't dung at least."

Demon paused as he concentrated at the broken pieces waving his hand over it, the vase immediately reconstructed. "Here..." Demon smiled handing it to Sakura.

"Th-thank you..." She smiled, taking it back gratefully.

"So... Damon..." Takumi sighed, placing his chopsticks down. "I know we haven't had much time to do so lately, so allow me to formally welcome you back home."

"…. Thank you, I'm grateful." He put his right fist to his palm, bowing his head.

 _ **What the actual fuck?! Since when was Takumi ever nice to me?! Literally one person had this big an impact on people!? The asshole tried to kill me several times, almost had Felicia fed to his men, and started a fucking Civil War!**_

Takumi seemed to pick up on his brother's internal debate. "Ah... I suppose you heard about how I apparently hate the Nohrians, right? Well, allow me to clarify something; I don't. It's kind of hard to when not one, but two are your brothers are technically Nohrian in one respect or another. I've long since learned to pass judgement only after learning what a person is actually like."

"...Scheisse..." Demon stood from his seat. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to retire for the night." Demon said to his family.

"Alright... have a good night, Damon," Hinoka smiled, followed by a nod from Sakura.

"We'll see you tomorrow, my son," Mikoto beamed at him.

Demon stopped to look at Hinoka one last time, before making his way down the hall way, in deep thought. Demon stopped in front of his door, expecting someone to be in there, knowing what was going on. As he opened the door right on cue, the girls were eating cooked fish sticks. "..." Demon didn't say anything as he made his way to his pack, pulling out the last of Camilla's wine, and extracting it from the glass in to the canteen. "Is something bothering you?" Beruka asked in her usual monotone, but there was a bit of concern in there.

"Cold Realization... I should be ready to travel tomorrow..." Demon said drinking his wine, rather quickly.

The assassin nodded. "Good. Perhaps you can stop this war after all?" She asked, trying to provide him with wishful thinking and boost his spirits.

"I love your wishful thinking..." He sighed. "Xander and the others know I'm alive, they'll attempt a rescue now... I need to get out to the border to meet up with them... then turn them around and head home... there's...really nothing left for me here." Demon gave out a drawn sigh out.

Beruka nodded, a slight frown on her face. "If that's what you think is best, then we shall help-" There was a knock at the door. Both of Camilla's retainers leapt from the floor and into the rafters to hide from the intruder.

Demon turned to the door. "Yes?" He asked moving carefully to the door.

"Hey, uh... it's me," Hinoka stated with a bit of confidence in her tone. "Could I come in?"

Demon looked up at his protectors, silently telling them to quickly make way towards the outside. "Yeah...hold on." Demon said as he waited for his protectors to make their way outside to the roof of the palace. The moment they were out, he opened the door for Hinoka to come in.

"Thank you," the red haired pegasus rider smiled as she entered the room. "So... we've had plenty to talk the past few days, but not time to actually get to know each other, huh?"

 _ **Shocker... but honestly? No we haven't even uttered anything since I was up, you kind of went distant and that was about it.**_

Demon just gave her a look, seeing he saw that they really didn't talk at all. "…..."

"I want to apologize... for avoiding you lately," the princess continued. "I've been hating myself to do it, but... I just couldn't bring myself to after what I did... I almost killed you..." Hinoka looked frustrated at herself, her guilt weighing heavily on her. "Especially since you were blaming me for it... and you were totally right to."

Demon sighed, moving over to his desk. "…...It's alright, I can imagine you spent all this time hating Nohr and attempting to rescue me..." Demon stated, while knowing that probably wasn't the case anymore in this time line.

"Actually... I did," Hinoka smiled softly. "I don't know what you heard, but... I never stopped looking. Even if my methods changed at one, never once did I stop. I still went into Nohr too, I was just far more careful about it. I didn't want a... repeat of what happened last time I almost got killed in Nohr..." He fingers grazed her stomach.

"How old were you last looked for me?" Demon asked the red headed girl. "Was it when you got that scar?" Demon asked hearing about the scaring on her abdomen.

"No... again, even after that I went into Nohr. I was just more careful. I think the last time was... a half a year ago?" She guessed.

"Yet...for some reason, I feel a little _**hostility**_ from you..." He confessed.

Hinoka shook her head. "It's something I got over a while ago... all I needed to do was get the courage to apologize to you again."

"But I don't understand why the hostility towards me... I mean I didn't do anything to provoke anything from you, when I got here... Did I offend you? Did I call you some sort of Hoshidan monster or something?" Demon asked Hinoka.

"… Do you want to know the truth?" She asked him, a bit of pain in her eyes. "Damon... that man you knocked across the chasm... he's our brother. And now he's in Nohrian hands..."

"I'm sorry... let me get this straight..." Demon began to laugh a bit. "You are blaming me, for defending myself? After being stabbed multiple times from his venomous blades? After I knew... yes _**knew,**_ he had no intentions of capturing me, but killing me?" Demon asked Hiinoka, looking down at her.

The princess sighed, knowing this would likely be the case. "Look... I've known this was pointless. Me taking the loss of a family member on someone completely undeserving. And for that, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, for someone who has been gone his whole life, equals someone who was just recently captured... That kind of tips the balance... shouldn't it?" Demon asked her. "I mean, Noka come on...I just come back and I'm like an outcast in your eyes? The very person you spent your whole life trying to get back, and you decide to switch me out for someone else?" Demon asked Hinoka.

"I said I was sorry, okay?!" The princess snapped, tears in her eyes. "I know that it was wrong to blame you! I know I shouldn't have done what I did! But seeing that just... It brought back too many painful memories... I don't want to lose anymore family..."

"…. Yeah, well... I needed you for the week I was here, but everyone was practically avoiding me while I was semi-dying of an infection..." He huffed feeling abandoned.

Tears of shame started to crawl down the Pegasus Knight's face. "Damon..."

"My own mother didn't even take the time to come up here when I could've been dead just to see me off, she waited till ass end of the night to just even pay me a scrounge of attention." Demon continued.

Hinoka wanted to explain but didn't want to offend him further. "Little bro..."

"I mean the only person that's been in here for me was literally the same woman that lured me across the bridge only to be ambushed and nearly killed... that's what I call Irony..." He complained.

Hinoka felt a dagger go through her heart. "Oh... so us checking in on you when we knew you were well enough... that was nothing then?"

"Define your checking in? How about asking me questions of if I was under some kind of Nohrian Spell...or better yet If I was aware that I knew everything." Demon said to her.

Her hands slammed into the ground. "Because we were worried about you! Because we didn't know what you did or didn't know! What the hell is wrong with being worried about our family?!"

"Ok...how about treating me like an actual part of a family, rather being cooped up here and under guard..."

 **Um... just poking my nose in here, you literally just had dinner with them. And they were worried about the fact you might be killed in your room.**

 _ **The Palace grounds I'm talking about...**_

 **Then say that! Don't just leave shit up to misinterpretation! Or did you forget what happened with Selena a few days ago? How well that worked out for us? Or how about the fact that Hinoka and Ryoma were with you when you were hurt and woke up? Or how mom was busy dealing with the fact one of her FUCKING CHILDREN was LITERALLY just taken?!**

 _ **They were...for like an hour and gone the next, at least Hinoka could've stayed behind, Gods she had this insane crush on me, and wanted to be close to me, but now? She's, I don't know who she is... She fell in love with Damon.**_

 **Oh gods are you dense... she still does you fucking idiot! Why else would she be here now?! And don't you give me this 'I'm Demon' bullshit again, you are Damon! You have an excuse!**

 _ **I don't know how about the fact that She avoided me? Blamed me for defending myself and knocking that Shad Yahoo guy over the abyss, or wait here's a a better one, why is Takumi being all buddy, buddy?'**_

… **are you for fucking real right now? She literally just apologized for it! Owned up to the fact she was wrong!**

 _ **I refuse to believe that she would apologize for something that quickly... for a week of avoiding... Don't tell me she became the Takumi of the family...**_

… **You know what? Fuck this. If you want to drive yet another lover away, be my fucking guest. If you don't want to pull your head out of your ass and see things from their point of view instead of bitching and moaning and playing victim, go ahead. But this is how things were** _ **supposed**_ **to be, in case you forgot.**

 _ **I'm only acting like this because I'm taking your page out of your desolate and decrypted book, something is telling all parts of me that this is wrong...**_

 **Wrong to you! Because this didn't happen! And don't you** _ **dare**_ **say if Xander or Leo went missing, you wouldn't be acting the same damn way!**

 _ **True to your word, but tell me...why are all my Nohrian counterparts the exact fucking same, and over here, it got warped?**_

 **Because someone else was here! Shad was here! He became as much family to them as you are!**

 _ **My point in case...Scarlet fell in love, Hinoka was brutalized and scarred, Takumi is a... I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH HIM! Sakura is this quiet flower, and Ryoma is more reserved.**_

… **Question. Wasn't that how your family got when Shad's birthday came around? They lost family! And who's to say it doesn't happen here around your birthday too? YOU weren't here!**

 _ **How much do you want to bet he's being treated waaaay differently over there then I am over here?**_

 **Not a single damn copper. Actually... I'd take you up on that. He's probably despised while these people have tried to help you.**

 _ **Or father is immediately propping him up, treating him the life of luxury, and he's probably... most likely taken over my territory.**_

 **... how far is that stick shoved up your ass?**

 _ **You can't even argue with it...so you can take your boastful claim and shove it up right where the sun don't shine.**_

 **Of course, I can! But clearly, you haven't changed a damn bit despite becoming whole again.**

 _ **Really? How about the time, when you and flying fuck including all my little friends began to gang up on me when Hinoka and I went for a little stroll and murder some enemies? Boy you two were fucking idiots... oh wait, no you got hijacked and thrown in a cell... So you don't get to bark orders at me.**_

 **... You know what? Fuck you and your twisted logic. If you can't handle the changes that are happening or take the advice to help you get through it, then maybe you should have let yourself die with the others. At least then they'd still all be these picture-perfect interpretations of them you make them out to be.**

 _ **YOU KNOW WHAT, FUCK YOU! PAM SAID YOU WERE THE PATHETIC BULLSHIT COPY CAT OF ME, SO FUCK OFF! I DON'T NEED YOUR ADVICE, I DON'T NEED YOUR PAIN!**_

 **Really? Even when I'm not some shattered part of you and an actual part of your mind? You're fighting yourself at this point. Your logic, your memories, your pain.**

 _ **Just another phantom for me to walk on and bury, so just stay dead...**_

 **Can't. I'm not that thing from before. I am literally you, and I'm staying until we both go for a dirt nap. A part you are too afraid to admit is right.**

Demon sighed looking at Hinoka. "Besides, Shad is probably safe, and happy at the moment." Demon informed Hinoka.

The princess chuckled. "I'll bet everything, including myself that you're wrong..."

"….including yourself? I'm sorry, you lost me..." He said in a trollish way.

Hinoka gave him a teasing look. "I don't know. What do you think it means, Little Bro?"

"Sounds like you're suggesting something..." He argued.

"Maybe I am..." The princess sighed and embraced him tightly. "Look... I never, EVER, meant to neglect you. But the threat of losing not one, but two brothers? To the same people no less? It... it hurt me. And it only got worse when I realized just who I lashed out at. I couldn't think... I couldn't even look myself in the mirror."

"But we're not family...we're not even related..." Demon said to Hinoka.

Hinoka gave him a confident, passionate look. "Family isn't just blood. It's how you think of and see a person. And in my eyes, you are my family. Just as you are to everyone in this castle. I guarantee it."

"True but I was barely here... for maybe like a few months... All the distant memories I had were Camilla spoon feeding me.." Demon said with a look of embarrassment.

Hinoka kissed his cheek. "Then we'll all be willing to fill in the gaps of when you were here. Remind you just how much you mean to us all... Even if, and I'm ashamed to admit it, we weren't there for you at first."

Demon's heart beat started to become more and more apparent as he looked in to her eyes. His hands moved from his sides to her shoulders, gently gripping them. "Noka..." He said with a glow in his eyes.

The red head smiled at him. "Hehe... you want me to stay the night I'm guessing? I don't need to worry about anything... untoward do I?"

"Well... I was wondering if you'd want to go take a bath...with me..." He said with a shifty eyed look.

The older woman grinned and nodded. "Want me to see if Sakura wants to join too? We could all bond a little."

 _ **Wait...what...?**_

"I'm sorry something crazy just yelled in my ear...can you repeat that?" He asked.

"I could invite Sakura. Hell, the whole rest of the family if you wanted... which I somehow doubt you want," she teased him. "Get a head start on all that bonding you want from us."

 _ **Whoa totally going off track...**_

"Ah.. Right Hoshidan baths are way different than Nohr's... ah the bath I was...thinking of was one where... You don't wear any towels..." Demon said as he felt smaller all of the sudden.

Hinoka gave him a strange look. "Why would we? We're all family."

 _ **Riiigggghhtttt still thinks me as a brother...**_

 _ **Wasn't she like that before? And she came to accept it later?**_

 _ **No, she and I almost fucked in the bath, we kissed and I told her of I had no intention of starting a war between Nohr and Hoshido...that didn't go as planned though...**_

 _ **Hm... question. What are the odds of her teasing you about this or being unsure what you think of her still?**_

 _ **On a scale this big? The odds are fifty-fifty**_

 _ **Go along with it for now.**_

Demon just paused hearing that from her. "….sure..." Demon said with a sigh. "Let me just grab my towel."

Hinoka smiled and hugged him. "Alright. I'll grab a couple of my own and show you the way there if you don't already." The princess ran off to her room, leaving Demon with his thoughts.

 _ **If she is tricking me, I'm going to punish her later...**_

The princess returned in less than a minute. "Alright, you ready Little Bro?" She asked, a few towels slung over her shoulder.

Demon got his towel, moving over to her side. "Yeah..." He stood at least a several inches taller than her. Hinoka lead him to the baths, sliding open the paper door with ease as they entered. "Alright. No peeking, okay?" She said with a teasing smile.

 _ **No promises...**_

They started to disrobe, backs facing each other as their armor and what was underneath dropped to the floor. Demon finished first. "Just throw it all in one of the baskets," Hinoka told him as she finished with her lower armor. "No one will touch it. Well... probably anyway. Unless someone wanted to pull a mean-spirited prank."

"Ha ha..." Demon laughed as he pulled his shirt over his head. As Demon wrapped the towel around his waist he turned around to meet Hinoka. She could see he had new stiches, and two burn marks on his chest, seeing someone cauterized him, the stitches were made out of metallic wiring. But it was nothing compared to the travesty on her stomach. It looked like an animal with a set of four claws had struck her and the wound was then shocked or corrupted greatly, making her otherwise fair skin turn ugly shades of purple and black.

… _ **...That...mother...fucker...**_

Demon felt a sudden sickness, and anger swell in his head, he moved over to Hinoka, getting on his knees as he hugged her body gently. She was confused for a moment before realizing just what she was showing off. "D-don't worry! It's nowhere near as bad as it looks, I swear," She assured him, rubbing the back of his head. "I actually have to look in the mirror to notice it nowadays."

"What kind of sick...twisted monster...would hurt my Noka?" He asked her, nuzzling his head into her towel.

Her silence was golden as the memory played back in her mind. "… A kid who cared too much... got too scared for my sake..." She sighed and pulled him into the baths. "I know it isn't the best topic to start on... but you deserve to know just how I got this injury and about the person who gave it to me."

"I would never... Ever... in a million years... lash out and hurt you.." He lightly sobbed in to her chest, seeing as he could've lost her already.

A sad smile graced her lips. "In his defense... I struck first. Almost took his eye... It was about twelve years ago. I was searching for you weekly, sometimes daily, when I almost didn't make it back home. A group of Nohrian archers spotted me making my rounds for you and opened fire. The fact I'm here now is a miracle..."

Demon was still holding her body hugging and resting his head against her chest, seeing he still could've lost her, and he had no method in protecting her. "Everyone was worried sick about me. But Shad... he seemed to be beyond that. He outright refused to let me leave at one point, even demanding I prove I could handle it by beating him in a fight. Stupid kid... he had barely started training. All he had were wood weapons. But it was clear to see he was stalling for Ryoma or... anyone to come and stop me themselves. So, I tried to force my way through him. The kid was crafty, but those wood shuriken and daggers weren't even a threat to me, let alone my armor.

"At one point, I did something I'm really... really not proud of. I misjudged what part of my blade I was using and how far away I was from him and I... I cut him. Deep too, that scar is still there today, hardly faded at all. After that he just seemed to... I don't know how to explain it other than he simply snapped. See, he has this birthmark on his right hand. Orochi just got done saying it was cursed and evil and a whole bunch of other things, but it had never shown signs of being anything like that... well, until that fight at least. Everything about him just... changed. He grew claws, his teeth got sharper and there were even these weird tattoos at the corners of his eyes. They looked like another two whole pairs had sprung up. It was those claws that did this." She gestured to her scars. "I have no idea how, but they ripped right through my armor."

Demon immediately remembered on that frozen lake, when he went berserk after losing it from seeing the state of Flora. "…." His silence was deafening, and was now worried about the state of anyone else he might come into contact with.

"That's when I made my... second error. Something that made things even worse in the future. I was so soaked up in trying to find you that I was even willing to kill anyone who got in my way... my little brother included. I lashed out with my naginata and... I almost killed him..." Tears were in her eyes now, her face scrunched up in sadness. "It was after that fight that I promised to focus on training between my searches for you and play them safer... and in all honesty? I don't think I can thank Shad enough for what he did. I reached limits I never thought possible and got so much stronger..."

"….He cut you open..." Demon said in a montone voice.

The princess sighed, knowing it was time to tell the next part of her tale. "Yeah... I know. And what you're thinking now is probably along the lines of the rest of the castle..."

"…..You know, I found it odd how you never asked where I got my scar..." Demon stated, seeing as she never asked, unlike the other Hinoka.

"I did... you pretty much ignored me though..." She muttered.

"When? I was kind of being poked and prodded by you people..." Demon groaned.

"Yesterday. You were so spaced out and quiet though that I thought it was a more personal issue..." Hinoka informed her.

"I meant prior to before that...like when I was off my feet." He explained. "I gave myself this scar, when I broke my sword into tiny little pieces cutting open my face... I made a promise back then I would get stronger, faster, and more aware of my surrondings... I didn't hack up anyone I love." Demon growled.

A pained look overtook Hinoka. "That's... Damon, I get you're mad at him, but please-"

"I got this when I was fucking Eight Hinoka... I blew up my sword, smacking the ground with a force that could parallel with the death of nature." Demon barked.

"Shad didn't mean to," she countered, defending the honor of her other brother.

"He was older than me when he lost control! He was trying to kill you!" He snapped. "Doesn't that tell you that was inexcusable?" Demon asked.

A sad look came over her eyes. "It might have... if he wasn't all but broken after."

"If he cut me open like that I wouldn't hesitate but to cut him open up like that, before my final breath." Demon growled.

"And I did! And let me tell you, I felt all sorts of guilt after seeing how he felt about it after..."

"Guilt...no, he cuts you up like that? You kill him...he, that thing... whatever he became, was a method to kill, and not to maim... That ugly mark is a curse on you." He growled.

"You don't think I know that?! That he didn't?!" Hinoka barked, her memories overwhelming.

"He's only sorry that he didn't kill you..." Demon muttered.

It took everything in her to not slap him. "Take that back! You take that back!" It was clear that there was more to the story by the way she was reacting.

"Why don't you make me... 'big sis'?" He asked standing up ready for the full throttle of her rage.

She seethed and stewed in her own grief and anger. "You know nothing about him... have no right to say what he felt... What he wanted..."

"You don't know a thing about me, yet you're lecturing me on the importance of issues?" He asked.

"Well if you'd let me explain, maybe you could learn how the rest of the damn story goes!"

"I got the gyst of it Noka, he attempts to stop you, you tell him to back off, he draws his weapon, you disarm him, he comes at you again, you draw blood, he attacks you, you realitate... and you almost bleed out... then you stop going out to look for me and train to become stronger so one day you can search for me...? Is that about right?" Demon asked Hinoka.

"… You're missing a big chunk of it."

"Then Explain, because to me, you're suffering under stock Holm syndrome from someone who nearly put you in the ground..." Demon just stopped to think about his stay in Nohr, realizing he was being a bit of a hypocrite on that.

Hinoka took a few breaths to calm down before continuing. "After that, Shad... he wasn't the same. And no, he wasn't trying to gut everyone in the palace. He just... shut down. He wouldn't stop crying about how he almost killed me, how sorry he was... he broke. And even after we made up, things were never the same in the palace. He started wearing gloves to cover up his mark, avoided people... he _hated_ himself for what he did. He actually started to believe it was him that was cursed and not the mark. The servants feared him, the guards were cautious of him... and I can't blame them after what he did either. I really, truly can't. But he even started to distance himself from us too. Threw himself into his books so he could, in his own terms, 'do something that wouldn't kill us.' He picked up battle tactics, alchemy, cooking, anything he thought he could do to make up for what he did."

"He sounds like a ticking time bomb..." Demon huffed out, knowing if something got in his way...or if something triggered a reaction, he would go off.

"I... I can't deny that," Hinoka sighed. "So much stress, so much self-hatred... it does things to people."

"Hinoka...look I understand where you're coming from... and what you're trying to spin...but the fact of the matter was? He attacked you...family...were those claws meant to tickle you or disarm you? The claws you were describing sound sharp, and painful...like the ones that burrow in and tear flesh..." Demon pointed out to her description.

"I know they were, okay?! But he... he hates that he did. He want to deny the fact it ever happened and make up for it at the same time. I know it isn't likely, but... can't you relate to that?"

"Okay so you put off searching for me then... So you could reconcile with Shad?" Demon asked her.

She went silent, and it was clear that while he was wrong, there was guilt in her eyes. "No... I didn't... and that's what I hate most."

"Wait... you just, lost the will to find me? Or you lost interest in reconciling...?" He asked put off from that question.

"Lost interest in reconciling... I threw myself into my training so I could be ready for the next time I went out to find you. And again, it showed. I was stronger than I ever thought I could be."

"I wasn't tortured there you know? They raised me as one of their own, gave me land and title... I was happy there." Demon put her worries to rest about his stay there.

"I'm... glad that you had a good life in Nohr, Damon. I wish nothing but the best for you and all the other members of my family."

"Noka..." Demon started to say as his shoulders felt heavy enough as it was, dealing with the fact that he couldn't tell her anything about their past life together, seeing as an attempt with Selena went up in smokes. She could see a frown be placed on his expression, as he was contemplating.

"Damon... have you ever been called a monster? Or something like that?" Hinoka asked him.

"Too many, but I knew they were lessers... and lessers have no reason." Demon explained in a Nohrian expression of thought.

"It's... all he ever heard from people after... The ones who bothered to speak to him anyway..." Hinoka sighed. "That he was a blight. A monster. A curse on this otherwise peaceful land."

" _ **Hinoka**_ I get it... I really do, okay yeah I feel sorry for him, that action fucked up the views on him... I really do but, I didn't come with you to talk about exchanges of the past..." He said starting to feel bad for the prince even if he wanted to knock his teeth in.

She chuckled lightly. "Right... sorry... I get a little too worked up over these things is all... why don't we focus on the relatively new then? What do you think about Hoshido? About your family?" Hinoka asked him.

"…...I have to go tomorrow..." He said looking away, trying to avert her gaze.

She felt a dagger drive through her heart. "… What?" She asked, not believing her ears."

"Nohr is still marching here with greater Morale knowing I'm in Hoshido's custody... I have to stop their advance, or war will rip apart Hoshido." Demon explained to Hinoka the best he could.

There was no explaining the sadness and disbelief in her heart. "No... please... was it something we did? I swear, we'll make it better!" The red haired princess panicked, her mind rebelling against her.

"…...Hinoka, if I don't go stop them... They will burn their way to the capital... and kill anyone in their way." Demon said to her trying not to see the pained expression in her eyes.

Tears started to fall from her eyes and she clung onto him. "Please... don't leave us again... don't leave me again... I don't know if I can take much more..."

Demon turned over to face her, tilting her chin up. "What do you want me to do? Hmmm? Sit here waiting for my Nohrian family to march in here burn the capital down and go home? They won't stop... they'll conquer all of Hoshido... I won't fight either of you... I can't. I've known them all my life..." He said to her trying to make her understand.

She sniffled and lunged at him, forcing him into a kiss. "O... okay..." Hinoka sighed as they parted. "If this is what you need to do... then I'll support you."

Demon had a horrified look on his face, seeing as this was absolutely painful to the man. "….Thank you..." Demon quickly stood out of the bath, and grabbed his clothing from the hamper. "I'm sorry..." He groaned out seeing it was too much.

"I... I understand," Hinoka bowed her head, afraid she did something wrong. "I'll... I'll help you tomorrow morning then. Distract the guards or something so you can slip out."

 _ **No... I can't ask you to do that...**_

Demon nodded as he made way to his room, using his mana he quickly redressed and got his armor on. "Beruka...Selena.." Demon summoned, as he locked the door.

"Yeah, Damon?" The red haired woman asked, her tone more friendly now that she had cooled off.

"Get your stuff we're leaving." Demon said in a dead, hollowed tone. Before either could ask, the castle shook violently and a wave of pure magic and malice washed over them. Demon got goose bumps from that wave. Whatever caused it was powerful. "Double time..." Demon ordered grabbing his equipment clipping it around his waist followed by putting his turncoat and putting his sword around his waist. Selena gave him a meek nod, her face pale as she started to pack up.

"It-it can't be..." She muttered under her breath, picking up her packed bag. "It's dead. I watched it die myself..."

"Selena, later..." Demon said moving over to the window.

 _ **Just concentrate... We'll just head west to the pass, and stop at that...**_

Demon remembered that scene all too well knowing he was... inept at solving the problem beforehand. "Hope you girls like heights..." Demon said as he felt a pull in his veins, trying to concentrate. He grabbed a hold of both of them and leapt from the window, sliding down the roof with them in his arms before landing outside the castle walls.

"As fun as that was... let's not do it again," Beruka shivered as she was placed back on the ground.

Demon nodded as the three quickly made their way to the Western plains.

* * *

 _ **The next day, around noon...**_

Demon was standing at the bridge waiting for the Nohrian vanguard to rush in, his eyes continued to stare at the western horizon. His ears picked up the steady beat of running feet, leather boots to be more precise. "This can't happen..." A familiar voice growled, getting closer by the second. "I won't let it!" A figure landed on the bridge, tome in hand as he started to cast a spell. He was in a black hooded coat with navy blue accents, dressed in light Nohrian armor... but that face was one Demon could never forget. "Arcfire!" Shad shouted, bombarding the bridge with a wall of flame.

"Oh Fuck..." Demon threw up a barrier seeing how Beruka and Selena was still on the other side.

Shad was initially confused seeing his spell pitter out. "What the-" he turned around and saw his brother. "Damon?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

The ground began to shake behind Shad as hundreds of thousands of Nohrian soldiers began to descend from behind. Camilla's wyvern flew overhead, looking over the field. Demon grabbed both Selena and Beruka throwing them on the other side of the bridge trying to get distance from it. Xander who was leading the charge immediately stopped on his horse to see Demon moving on to the very end of the bridge in his full suit of armor, minus his helmet. "Halt!" The Crown prince shouted, his troops stopping dead. "Damon... so Beruka was correct." A large smile painted his face. "You're alive..."

Camilla quickly descended to the ground with the Wyvern giving off a screech seeing Damon. Elise and Leo stopped on their horses too, identical smiles on their faces. "Big brother!" Elise cheered, leaping into his arms from her horse.

Demon felt her jump on him causing him to spin a bit, while Camilla hugging him quickly kissing him on the cheek. "My sweet Prince..." She cried in to his armor, before grabbing both Beruka and Selena hugging the two and then kissing each of them on the forehead. "What did I say? The devil's luck is with you Damon..." Leo smirked patting him on the back. "I'm glad to see you guys..." Demon said with a pained expression seeing as he had to quickly forget about the original plan. Demon's eyes immediately darted to Shad, it was like he had fire in his eyes, but quickly doused as his face got turned to meet Camilla's. "Please tell me you didn't go too overboard?" Demon asked Camilla.

"Overboard on what, my sweet prince?" She asked innocently, not letting him go.

"Nothing..." He groaned feeling his head being placed against her chest, with her rubbing his scalp. Xander quickly got off his horse and dropped his helmet to see Demon was alright, after that scene above that bottomless pit.

"It was speculated and Beruka confirmed it... but I still can't believe it..." Xander scooped his entire family into an embrace. "You're alive... you're truly alive, little prince..."

 _ **I ain't little!**_

"You know I hate bearing the title 'little' prince... that died out when I hit six foot seven..." He complained.

"Big brother!"

"Oof!" Sakura and then Shad's voice sounded out behind him, along with enough clanking of Hoshidan armor for him to wager their entire army had come.

"You're okay..." Sakura sobbed into Shad's coat, clutching onto the fabric.

"E-easy, little sis..." Shad chuckled, putting on a brave face despite his own inner conflict. The other prince was immediately pulled into a hug from Ryoma and Hinoka.

"You're alive..." The Pegasus rider laughed lightly. "You're back... I swear to gods, neither you or Damon are leaving my sight again, you hear me?!"

"You've been missed, young prince," Ryoma smiled at his younger brother. Shad's heart welled up with joy, guilt and fear at their affection. "Hey, Shad!" Takumi clasped his shoulder with a smile. "You had us all worried, you bastard."

 _ **Incoming conflict...**_

"And just what do you think you're doing with our brother?" Xander growled, releasing Demon and getting back on his horse, Siegfried in his hand.

"I could ask the same thing," Ryoma spat, releasing Shad and drawing Raijunto.

Demon immediately remembered the blade... not just his blade but the blade... _ **the Yato Blade.**_

 **This is why you don't rush things! Now what are we going to do?!**

Demon pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hey! Stop with the fighting for a quick second!" Demon snapped at the two Crowned Princes.

"Just who do you think you're touching?" Hinoka asked Camilla with venom in her voice.

"I could ask the same thing, harlot..." The Nohrian princess seethed.

"Guys hey knock it off...for just a quick second." Demon requested.

"Hands off my little brother!" Takumi roared, drawing Fujin Yumi back.

"You first, pineapple head!" Leo bit back, opening Brynhildr.

Demon was twitching while the armies were positioning themselves on both sides of the river. "Guys, would you just... Please stop bickering...and fighting for one second?!" Demon asked with his voice falling on deaf ears.

"They're my big brothers!" Elise shouted.

"They were mine first!" Sakura yelled back.

Demon clenched his fists as he stuck his blade in the ground. _**"I'VE HAD ENOUGH!"**_ Both Shad and Demon shouted before being consumed in blinding purple and red lights.

The two warriors immediately exploded with energy, transforming their bodies into what looked to be for Shad, a smaller version of the _**Fell Dragon Grima,**_ while Demon transformed in to a menacing Black dragon with red eyes, and wings that spread out causing the field of battle to darken. _**"ENOUGH!"**_ The voice roared with intensity causing everyone to immediately stop.

 _ **"WILL YOU ALL STOP FIGHTING FOR FIVE MINUTES AND LISTEN?!"**_ Shad roared in turn, forcing lesser men to their knees and squashing the rebellion out of those that remained. The two Dragons immediately stopped looking at the bridge and finally recognized that they weren't the only skyscraper sized beasts. _**"You... you're like me?!"**_ Shad asked incredulously.

" _ **You have no arms...you're a Wyvern... and I**_ _ **HATE**_ _ **Wyverns..."**_

 _ **"Actually, I'm more of a Wyrm... Arms, but no legs,"**_ Shad clarified.

" _ **Nice four wings, what too agile for two?"**_ Demon said with a slight huff.

Shad sighed, causing a bit of nearby grass to wilt. _**"As much as I would absolutely**_ _ **love**_ _ **to keep bickering with my own brother, didn't we do this to stop our families from doing the same thing?"**_

" _ **Aye we did...but then my Dragon side reminded me what you tried to do to my mate... I owe you for that..."**_ He made out an almost rabid growl.

Shad returned in kind, curdling the blood of even the hardiest soldiers. _**"Then come at me, whelp."**_

" _ **Hope those four wings are good for something..."**_ He snapped as his towering form with his two clawed hands gripped the Fell Dragon, the flap of the wing shot him up in the air throwing him up in the air and throwing the Fell Dragon away from him to gain distance. _**"Now... I'm going to yank two of your wings off your little snake body..."**_ He growled.

 _ **"Go ahead and try..."**_ The Fell Dragon growled, a miasma of darkness dripping from his maw. That is, until his rational thought took over again. _**"No... they're waiting for us down there. Whatever resentment you have against me can wait."**_

" _ **As much as I want to wring your neck... I am obligated to agree with the situation..."**_ Demon growled as the two beasts descended down. Shad whipped out his tome and raised his hand.

"Amnesia!" There was a flash of light, and everyone was stunned outside the two princes. "Somehow, I think it best they don't know about this... altercation. If what she said was right, we have ten seconds before they come to. I suggest we take our places."

Demon sighed as he went back to his Human form, drawing his blade. "Better make this realistic then..." Demon said as Shad moved over to the bridge as both parties began to unfreeze from whatever stasis they were under after the amnesia hit them. Demon clashed his blade against Shad's, causing the sole of his boots to skid, from the slam.

"You're strong... but why are you attacking me?!" He asked with convincing panic and confusion.

"I owe you for that fucking venom!" Demon growled as he kicked him over to the Hoshidan line.

Shad coughed up a bit of spittle and blood. "Yeah... I'll own up to that... I deserved that... and for what it's worth, I'm sorry. But you know it wouldn't have killed you, right?"

"No, no, but after being ran through with a naginata and hit with a rain of arrows? It just caused infections, blisters , and boils... I would've died from that..." He growled swinging his blade.

Shad nodded. "Might need to change the formula the-"

"Damon, Shad we can settle this once we get back home!" Hinoka shouted at them, attempting to pull Shad to them. To everyone's shock, the former ninja broke away and rushed to the center of the bridge with Demon.

"You put my family in Nohr in Panic! My children, you think I was going to forgive you for that torment? You probably took my castle, didn't you?!" He growled pointing his blade at his brother's side.

Shad looked legitimately confused. "I... honestly have no clue what you're talking about. But can it please wait until our families aren't about to rip each other's throats out!" The black haired prince shoved the blade away.

"No here's what I'm going to do... " Demon's blade began to glow red. "I'm going to run my blade right through your chest..." He growled.

"Damon, stop!" Camilla shouted, stopping him dead. "He's our brother."

"Blood spilling own blood, Ironic, you just choose his side... all of a sudden... what did you unleash some sort of Hex on them?" Demon asked taking a step back looking at the bridge supports, looking for a place to break it.

Shad chuckled as he gripped the blade, the heat not phasing him as he pushed it away. "Why does that sound familiar?" He jumped back, spotting just where to hit as he landed closer to his Hoshidan family.

"You're all supposed to be on my side! Not this Assassin!" Demon snapped at his Nohrian family, readying his blade as an aura was glowing around it.

"We're on both your sides!" Elise shouted to him, tears in her eyes. "You're both our brothers!"

"Unacceptable... I'll _**...Destroy this miserable excuse for an assassin..."**_ Demon swung his blade down causing the bridge to tremor and crack.

Shad's tome snapped open, a wind spell ready. "Try it if you can!" He sent out two shock waves, hitting supports instead of Demon by 'accident.' The bridge let out a sickening crack and fell through, both princes falling into the fast-moving river below.

 _"DAMON! SHAD!"_ Both noble parties shouted as their brothers were swept away.

* * *

 _Aaaaaaand cut!_

 _ **That's a wrap!**_

 _And an end to the first chapter of the FEF Redux! Again, my deepest apologies about the last one._

 _ **It was our bad, of not creating a back up file on one-drive...**_

 _Or Google Drive in my case. But, no matter. Upon wondering what to do for a Redux, we finally decided to remix the story a fair bit._

 _ **So a majority of the FE:A cast are mixed with the FE:F universe.**_

 _Well... the ones listed. As it was said, a lot of them died. But who knows, a few may still linger in the Outrealms... Hint hint. Also, as much as it pains me to say it, we're dropping the choice options. Too many complications and kept the delay between starting chapters too ridiculous in my opinion. However, we are still open to ideas from you lot... well, starting next chapter. You'll see why, but we need to establish a basis on one character in particular; Shad. The ninja who just came close to killing Damon and has some slight... instability. Also, I already know what you're all going to whine about. We didn't do everything from the first couple chapters. Save it, if we didn't say otherwise it stayed the same. Meaning his meeting with Azura, talks with Mikoto after he got better, ect._

 _ **There are also problems with Demon's attempts to reconcile with his long-lost love interests... seeing as none are like he remembers... Selena being prime example.**_

 _Yeah, your input is going to be especially valuable regarding her next chapter. Again, you'll need to wait and see why. Anything else to add, Starknight?_

 _ **Worry not Demon's mindset will restore as he gets his affairs in order, meaning he's going to be aggressive how he gets his job done... hoping to avoid another tragedy, he'll have to act fast.**_

 _Having an implied tactician, amongst other things, will help with that immensly. It helps that he just so happens to be Grima. In fact, I have a challenge for you all. If any of you can guess why he can turn into Grima, the Fell Dragon himself correctly, we'll do any one request from you... assuming we're comfortable with it, that is. We're writers, not masochists. And that... pretty much covers it I think. Unless Starknight wants to put in restrictions on that request, I think we're done here. Starknight?_

 _ **Yes as you can see... voting for the earlier unspoken chapter... with a tie? I should've just chose myself the outcome of that chapter, rather than tried to do both, it was hard... for both of us.**_

 _Yeah, I'm with you there. Anyway, we'll announce the winner and restrictions on that request in the next chapter._

 _ **So if you're a guest, please give yourself a name, so we can properly thank said un named guest... Happy reading.**_

 _ **-Starknight'Renegade**_

 _ **-Thank you**_

 _-Hope you enjoyed-_

 _-LyokoDragon15-_


	2. Prince Shad

_**Northern Fortress, shortly after Damon was returned to the Hoshidan capital...**_

Shad groggily woke up, his head pounding from the force of the hit he took. "Damn... big bro knows how to throw a mean upper cut..." He chuckled as he looked around and assessed the situation. "Took my weapons, recovery items, armor..." He checked in the roots of his hair. "Not my lockpicks. Good. So I have an escape. Now, think... Got tossed into some archers, kept Damon from getting sniped by Takumi... and after that it's dark. I'm probably in a Nohrian fortress or prison. They're likely going to want to interrogate me." There was the sound of a door opening and footsteps moving down the hall. "Alright, Shad... keep your head... or what's left of it, anyway."

 _This wouldn't have happened if we had shown our true power._

"Shut up!" Shad hissed. "The last time that happened, Hinoka almost got killed!" There was the sound of tumblers moving and his cell door opened, revealing the Crown Prince himself. He calmly and quietly took a seat in front of the injured man.

"Hello, Shad..." He greeted with a warm smile. "It's been a long time."

The ninja was, quite understandably, confused. "Do I... know you?" He asked. "Well, personally anyway. I know all about you. Xander, Crown Prince of Nohr and next in line for the throne. You wield the legendary weapon Siegfried, a sword that teleports back to its chosen's hand when thrown. You prefer the 'Paladin' class of fighting, utilizing your sword, shield and mount to move fast and hit hard despite your heavy armor. You're the oldest of the Nohrian line outside of your father who, might I add," Shad's gaze turned to stone in a split second, "kidnapped my older brother and murdered my father at a peace meeting."

"…..You were kidnapped from us Shad... a long time ago." Xander said with a scowl seeing his other brother Damon was now... gone.

Shad almost scoffed. "Right... tell me then, who was my mother? None of Garon's consorts had black hair and green eyes."

"You were sent to us at infancy, as a peace agreement from an unknown woman... by the time we knew the peace talks broke down in an ambush, a skirmish immediately broke out, leaving someone to break in to the capital and steal you away... Father was devastated after he found out he lost you." Xander explained.

"Then why wasn't he the first to come in here if it impacted him so much?" Shad asked, going for the jugular.

"He's on his way now actually..." Xander said with disdain as he grabbed his helmet.

The ninja took a deep breath and sighed. "He isn't dead, you know. Big brother, I mean. Or at least, it isn't likely."

"I have a country to Raze..." Xander placed his helmet on his head making his way outside of the room.

Shad's eyes widened. "No! Please!" the ninja begged as the door slammed shut. Crying could be heard in the other room as Flora's voice echoed through walls of a bathroom. "Who... who is that?" Shad asked, unfamiliar with the voice and immediately concerned. The woman kept crying as the walls began to freeze with ice growing on it, causing the temperature to rapidly drop. Shad sighed and pulled a lockpick from his hair, the door clicking open in a matter of seconds before he stowed the pick away. "Damn my fucking heart..." He followed the voice to find a bedroom not too far away. It seemed to be a maid's judging by the uniform folded at the foot of the bed. "Is something bothering you, ma'am?" Shad asked, putting on the act of a servant.

Shad could see a pen with a blue haired boy, no older than three, with a pink haired girl seemingly the same age, the boy with blue hair had red eyes while the girl had one red eye and one icy blue. The bathroom door was completely frozen and ice like daggers were around it. Seeing the kids with his brother's red eyes made it click immediately for the ninja. "Oooooooh hell." He sighed and knocked on the bathroom door, taking care to avoid the spikes. "Um, ma'am?"

Flora perked up her head hearing an unfamiliar voice. "Go awa..away!" Flora cried out, in her apron.

"I would miss, but the ice knives are getting close to the babies," Shad informed her, playing on her motherly instincts.

Flora broke the ice around the door as she came out of the door in tears quickly going to her child and picking him up, nuzzling her head into her son, seeing he was the last remaining thing that she had of Demon, and it was something they both created. "Begging your pardon miss, but I'm new here... may I ask your name? And why are you in tears? Perhaps I could be of help in some way?" Shad asked soothingly.

"It's Flora...My love...my prince... he's gone!" She cried in to her son's shirt, hugging him tightly.

"Miss, I suggest caution! He's still only a babe, and while I understand you're upset, you don't want to hurt him, do you?" The ninja's logic was infallible.

"….My...My ice can't hurt him!" She cried out.

"Yes, but you squeezing him that tightly will!"

Her grip lessened as she put down her son. "Mommy's sorry, Max..." She said kissing him on the forehead.

"If you'd like... I could listen for a bit before I need to get back to work?" Shad sat on the bed diligently.

"Who are you even? And what are you doing in the Northern Fortress?" Flora asked the Ninja.

"Well miss, my name is Wolfe, and like I said, I'm new here. A servant," Shad lied.

"Camilla said they brought in an agent..." She glared at him, as she dismissed the ice around the room.

"Miss, I understand your anger and paranoia, but think about it. The nobility are thorough, as well as their retainers. How could he have anything to get out with? Swallow a pick and threw it up?" Shad pointed out the flaw in her logic.

Hearing that she started to cry seeing that Demon fell down a chasm to an untimely demise. "Now, now miss, no more tears," Shad begged and wiped them away. "Now come on. Tell ol' Wolfe what's eatin' ya? Oh wait... you already did. Hm... I came here to serve under Lord Damon, but he ain't here. I'm guessing he's the love of your life then?"

"He was... my prince, my hero...my love...and now cold grips of death too him from me... my heart..." She clenched her chest, crying.

"Now hold on just a second miss!" Shad barked, starling her. "You just said you love him, didn't ya?! So what's with all this doubtin' nonsense?! Now let me ask you something. Our lord was a big, tough guy, yeah?"

"He fell in to that chasm after being wounded and showered with arrows..."

"And you think something like that is enough to stop him? After everything you two've been through, yer just accepting some pit and a couple o' sticks killed him? No no no, not our lord!"

"Please... don't give me false hope... I just want to cherish what I have left of him..." She turned to look at Max who was staring at her through the pen.

"Aye, it may be false hope, true... But ain't it better to at least wait until you know for sure than act like this in front of yer kid?" Shad questioned her. "He's an impressionable youth, you know? If he sees his mum actin' all sad and gloomy all the time, before you know it, he'll be that way too!"

"Are you telling me not to grieve...for someone I just lost?" Flora asked seeing a cold chill went up his spine.

"No no, of course I ain't! I'm just sayin... have a little faith in the bloke is all. If he's dead for sure, you can grieve then. Perferably not in front of impressionable senses. But if he ain't dead... don't you think he'd be happy to see you believed in him? To come home to a happy lover instead of a sad one?"

"I want to believe in the impossible but I have to be realistic, when they saw him fall... I didn't want to believe it..." She sniffled.

"Hey, ma'am," Shad smiled, turning her head to meet his eyes. "I've seen plenty o' things in the years I've been around. More than once thinkin' it was impossible until it happened."

The door opened up revealing Camilla, as she made a dead stop looking at 'Wolfe' _**"You..."**_ She growled gripping her axe.

Shad groaned in his head before turning to the princess. "'Ello Princess Camilla. I hate to impose, but could you give me five minutes more to wrap up? I'm just trying to do right by these fine people is all, I swear I'll get back to work after."

"Lady Camilla—"

"You get away from his children you... Hurt my Prince...my little brother... " She had this crazed killing look in her eyes. Flora hearing that backed away from Shad, quickly.

The ninja sighed, dropping the accent. "Just wanted to help my brother's love and kids, get threatened by the psycho one instead... gods damn it..." He threw his hands up before letting them drop down. "Fine. I'll go back to my cell. But Flora... I may have been lying about the whole 'Wolfe' thing, but... I meant what I said. I have faith my brother's still alive. And if you love him as much as you do, you should too. Nothing's impossible." He stalked out of the room, rubbing his sore throat from prolonged use of the accent he chose. Camilla gave him a death glare, as she was ordered not to harm him. Flora was now extremely torn. On one hand, he lied to her and apparently hurt the love of her life. On the other, he tried to comfort her and seemed to legitimately regret doing so.

Shad closed the door to his cell, placing the one of the lock picks in his hair in a dark corner of the room for later, lined up with the edge. "heh... so I might actually be her brother then? Hehehe... sure doesn't act like my sister..." Heavier footsteps than Camilla's echoed down the hall and stopped at his cell. He could already see Garon's face in the bars of his cell door.

"….Son... " Garon stated seeing Shad through the bars.

"'Dad'…" he replied relaxing in the chair.

"You've been in captivity for a very long time over in Hoshdio..." He said, opening the door to his cell.

"Same can be said for Damon over here," Shad replied evenly. "I mean, the circumstances aren't that different, are they? I was apparently kidnapped from you after you killed Hoshido's king and son."

"Is that what they told you? Or simply what you believe?" He asked Shad.

"Wasn't there. The only ones who were, were you, Damon, and the apparent archers," the ninja countered.

"Sumeragi had overstepped his bounds and began to... request that I return you to your mother... our argument got heated and threatened me with force, I return backed up my words...heh... the fool does not know that I always have an ace up my sleeve." Garon chuckled.

"Assuming you ran into Camilla on the way here, hell, even Flora... and assuming you are indeed my father, apple doesn't fall too far from the tree then," Shad stated without an ounce of fear in his eyes.

"Hmph... well it's time that your returned to your true home... Nohr." Garon said stepping out of the way for him to leave his cell.

Shad thought about refusing for a moment but stopped himself. It would be far easier to gather facts and information outside of this cell than be forced to sneak around. "Very well," he grunted as he stood up and walked past his 'father'. "I assume you'll want to start training me in Nohrian combat then?"

"You are correct." Garon huffed out, slamming the cell shut.

"So, who was it you had in mind? Xander seems busy organizing a retaliation force for big bro, and Camilla would likely kill me 'by accident' if she was assigned the role. That leaves Leo or someone I don't know yet," Shad counted off.

"And Elise..." Garon interjected.

"Healer. Troubadour to be exact. Uses staves, so not really good to teach me to fight."

"Come with me son, I'll show you what you need to know, and get your reacquainted with the Nohrian culture..." Garon smiled putting his arm around Shad's shoulder.

Despite being raised to hate the man... Shad couldn't help but smile at the gesture. "You know... that honestly sounds like a good time. Where do we start? Myths? History?"

Garon laughed hearing the enthusiasm in Shad. "History as good as any... But tonight, I introduce you to the capital of your home."

The ninja nodded as he followed his 'father,' stepping into a carriage moments later with the behemoth of a man. "Beruka, come on!" A woman's voice hissed from a good way away. It would have gone unheard if Shad's hearing had been any lesser. "We need to go now before Lady Camilla finds out we're doing this!"

 _Beruka? That's one of Camilla's retainers. And judging by the way she said 'Lady' Camilla, that must be Selena. Duly noted._

He stared out the window of the construct as the horse pulled them along the paths, taking in the sights as they went. While the land was dismal and gloomy, there was a certain air to it. It was peaceful, almost how like sleep was. Dark and somber but held a beauty that was hard to describe. "So, this is Nohr then..." Shad let out a chuckle and a grin formed on his face. "I like it... it's not as sunny as Hoshido, but then again, I've never been a sun person anyway."

His eyes widened as they came up on the capital and were almost saucers as they crossed onto the suspended roads of the kingdom, looking down at the markets and the residential districts. "Gods... this must have taken forever to build... father, this is the capital of our kingdom? It looks beautiful from here..."

"Yes, indeed it is... the grand design of the capital took years to perfect, not to mention thousands of lives that were lost during its construction." He informed Shad, while Shad noticed divisions of soldiers both equipped and under equipped forces marching out of the capital.

"… I'm assuming those are some of Xander's troops?" The prince asked, taking note of their weapons.

"Indeed, he'll be marching for Damon's sakes, and unleashing his fury on the Hoshidans for their transgressions." Garon laughed, thinking of all the destruction he'd cause.

"…" Shad stared down the troops and his fingers twitched. He waved down the carriage driver to stop and stepped out, taking one of the bronze weapons and inspecting it. "… the work on this is garbage. I know it's supposed to be for the lowest of the low, but still... this is a disgrace!" He lanced at one of the shields, the tip of the spear shattering. "Whoever made these deserves to be drowned..."

"These are conscripts son, fodder for the grind..." He informed him seeing Xander was conscripting a massive army.

"That is no excuse for shoddy work!" Shad rebelled, surprising many. "Conscripts die, I can take that. But purposefully sending them with weapons that break after a few swings? No, that's when you're setting yourself up for a devastating defeat because your men can't even fight after few minutes in!" He shoved the broken weapon back into the arms of the conscript and pulled the commander to his level by the collar of his armor. "You take these men back to the armory and give them something that _wasn't_ forged half a century ago, or so help me gods, I'll run you all through with them myself!" The man nodded and mobilized his troops, leaving Shad panting for a moment before he composed himself.

"You see son, Xander is moving them towards a tactical position across the Nohrian front, these men that are ill equipped are going to get their weapons and armor, but that is if they make the march to the check point at the border's forts we have established." He eyed his son, as he explained to the system of drills.

Shad took a few deep breaths before shaking his head to expel his leftover aggression. "My... my apologies. It's a pet peeve of mine when I see faulty equipment as bad as that. Please forgive me." Shad stepped back into the carriage and took a seat.

"Your ignorance is not a problem, you spent too much time with Hoshidan tactics that you forget that we're nothing like them." He argued.

"Thank you for understanding, father. Although... half of them won't even make it to the checkpoint, you know?" Shad noticed the raised brow of his father and explained. "There were over ten spots that were prime for bandit ambush on our path here alone. They probably refrained from attacking because this is _your_ carriage."

"Maybe less... or maybe even more, it shows how willing they are to survive, it's what makes us Nohrians above all others... " He smiled seeing the troops marching, in messy formations.

 _Something we are all too familiar with._

Shad silenced the voice in his head and replied to the king before him. "I actually know that better than you think..." The ninja pulled part of his collar down, revealing the start of an ugly scar. "This is from when I was young. My former sister insisted on going out to find Damon and I was attempting to stop her. She said she would only relent if I could defeat her in a fight. I won..." The ninja intentionally left out how he won and how he picked that fight, the memories haunting him even now. The two came out of the carriage as they arrived at the palace gates, Garon leading his new-found son. "But, in her rage, she almost killed me in the process. I won't go into how, but..." A flashback of a burst of darkness and a set of claws slashing at a younger Hinoka overtook his vision. "I returned the favor."

"Very good, you struck true and struck with anger... such is the Norhian way... you cannot deny yourself of that power." He stated, as he continued to show Shad around the palace.

 _Nor your birthright..._

"Shut up!" Shad hissed at the voice under his breath. Realizing what was very likely a grave error on his part, he decided to apologize on the spot along with making himself an alibi. "I apologize, that wasn't meant for you. I heard a servant besmirching your name and I-"

"You are stressed son, put through a system that speaks of peace and does the exact opposite..." Garon patted Shad on the back.

The ninja let out a sigh of relief and decided to be honest. "Father? Can I confess something?"

"You may..." He said waiting for a question from his long lost son.

"I don't much care for this war in general," Shad stated as they passed the kitchen. "The only reason I've been fighting thus far has been for my family and missing brother."

"This is your home... and this is your family Shad."

 _That remains to be seen..._

The ninja nodded as Garon threw open the banquet hall doors, revealing a long table with three people sitting down. Shad recognized them as Leo, Elise and Camilla. They all looked forlorn, pained at the loss of Damon. Shad steeled his nerves and spoke. "Hello. You're all my siblings, correct?" A look of either despair, judgement, and hate, was on their faces as they looked at Shad. The ninja frowned and took a seat at the table, Garon following suit. "Father's been showing me around the palace, but he's yet to say anything about you so far. However, I hope to get to know all of you as my family."

"…..Father! This is unacceptable! This creatine murdered my...my prince...my brother!" She snapped at her father seeing she lost Damon.

That tore it for Shad. "You know... I remember you from earlier. Weren't you threatening to have me killed for the same reason? You seem quite obsessed with our brother... one could even say you love him." He got up from the table and stared her down. "And don't give me that horse shit about me 'killing' him when I save him from getting killed when I found out who he was!"

* _ **Wham!***_

Camilla punched him off of his feet. "Go to Hell... " She said with blood shot irritated eyes, storming off away from the table.

"Oh... I see what this is about now..." Shad chuckled as he got to his feet. "You actually do, don't you? And your anger started when you didn't get to pop his cherry, didn't it? And now that I'm here and fought him, I'm just something to take your anger out on rather than what you all seem to think is the last remaining things he left to this world..." He stared down his sister with a calculating look. "That about it? Or is there more to it? Like how some other woman might try taking him again in Hoshido? Your rival Hinoka, perhaps? Or maybe even one of the Hoshidan nobility's retainers?"

Elise got out from the table and approached Camilla, grabbing her hands. "Let's go Camilla... don't stoop to his level." She said to her big sister.

"Hey, I'm the one stooping to her," Shad chuckled. "After all, she's the one who flat out accused me of killing Damon when he's most likely still alive. But, I'm willing to compromise." He sat back down and crossed his legs. "I'll apologize if you do, and we can all pretend that this didn't happen and enjoy our dinner."

"He fell down in to the bottomless chasm! Showered with arrows and drove in to the heart with that _ **...bitch**_ who murdered him..." She snapped at Shad informing he fell in to the chasm.

"Um... did anyone bother to keep eyes on him while you were all retreating? How do you know he's still down there?" Shad asked. "Couldn't said 'bitch' have flown in after him before he fell too deep? Given the panicked and guilty look on her face, I'd say she wanted big bro _alive._ And then there's the injury part. You all can complain about how I 'killed' him, but assuming he didn't die in the chasm, the venom from my blades would have saved his life, stemming the bleeding due to how they slow down body functions, limiting blood loss. And assuming they had healers, which we did by the way, they could and would have kept him alive on the way back to the Hoshidan capital with or without my venom in him." He rested his hands on the table, finished with his analysis. "But don't take my word on it. You'll either find him alive in Hoshido in about a week or when one of your retainers reports it back in the next... two, three days?"

"My Retainers?" Camilla asked, her eyes widening seeing as Beruka would've taken his death as a personal failure, while Selena would've went with her. She immediately left the capital to go find her retainers who were supposed to be stationed at the Northern Fortress.

Shad looked around confused. "She... she didn't know they left?" He asked his father and siblings. Garon shook his head, seeing he had no knowledge of their departure in to the chasm. "Huh... guess not telling her they were makes sense for multiple reasons. I just assumed she figured it out by now."

Leo sighed getting up from his seat and closing his tome. "I better make sure she doesn't get in to any trouble... come along Elise..." Leo ordered his little sister.

Shad's eyes lit up at the tome his brother carried, but it faded after realizing what was happening. "O-oh... I suppose I'll stay here then... she probably wouldn't want to see me right now anyway... I uh... wish you luck, Leo, Elise. And for what it's worth... I'm sorry for attacking Damon like I did." He started to fiddle with a napkin.

Elise had a look on her tear stricken as she was still in mourning for not only a brother...but a man who she had a secret crush on...there wasn't anything needed to be said the look on her face said it all.

(Line break)

 _ **A few days later...**_

Shad hummed the song his sister often sang as he leafed through a book. "… Destined to seek life beyond the shore just out of reach..." He muttered as he turned the page. The book he was currently reading was one of the old tomes in the library that mages often used. The ninja had never quite gotten the hang of scrolls in Hoshido, but the tomes here felt so right to him. Familiar even. He had recently conquered every major book on history and even some on Nohrian tactics in the Northern Fortress, his new home for the time being. His father's explanation was something along the lines of it being far away enough where the bandits wouldn't try attacking him and fortified enough to hold out against a Hoshidan invasion. He hadn't heard much from his siblings either, something that caused him no end of grief.

"Um... excuse me?" A soft woman's voice asked him, making him look up from his book. Vibrant green eyes met his gaze first, along with green hair and long pointed ears that almost looked like feathers due to the ridges on them.

 _Damn... and I thought my ears were bad..._

"Can I help you?" Shad asked, marking down the page he was on and placing the book down.

"Could you please keep your voice down in here?" The woman requested. "Others are still trying to read as well."

"Ah. My apologies," Shad said as he got up, grabbing his book and tucking it under one of his arms. "Hm... I don't think we've met yet, have we? Well, allow me to introduce myself." Shad stuck out his right hand. "My name is Shad. It's a pleasure to meet you, miss..."

"Tiki," the woman smiled softly, taking his hand and shaking it. "If I'm not wrong, you're Garon's long lost child, correct? What brings you to the library?"

Shad nervously chuckled and gestured to the book under his arm. "It sounds kind of stupid, but I came for the books actually. It took a little bit to get used to the Nohrian writing style, but I can't deny that it was worth it. This country's history is so interesting, almost nothing like Hoshido's. Was your home any similar?"

That threw Tiki off guard for a moment. "Um... beg pardon?" She asked him confusedly.

"Your features, obviously excluding your already odd-looking feather like ears, aren't Nohrian or Hoshidan. The only logical reason for that is that you immigrated from the Outrealms or another continent," the ninja explained. Tiki self-consciously brushed her ears before Shad stopped her. "Bah, don't worry. We're kinda in the same boat." He let out a light chuckle as he moved the sides of his hair back, revealing slightly pointed ears. "Everyone in the family says it's a birth defect but seeing you... while they're more exaggerated, there's no denying my ears look similar to yours. So... what exactly are you?"

The manakete was stunned at the man's observation and reasoning skills. "You're quite sharp... I'm not sure if we're quite the same, but I'm a manakete. My race tends to live for millennia at a time and we can turn into a dragon with these." She took out her dragon stone, a small green orb.

Shad's eyes lit up at the jewel and her explanation. "Fascinating... may I see it for a moment?" Tiki nodded and handed him the small orb, the ninja turning it in his fingers and looking through it. "Gorgeous... almost as much as-" he realized he was about to say something about her looks compared to the gem and inwardly cringed. "No, more gorgeous than the jade my family in Hoshido sells."

"Thank you," Tiki smiled and took back the stone. "This has been with me since the first time I fought alongside one of my oldest friends... I treasure it dearly and take care of it the best I can."

Shad smiled fondly. "That's very sweet of you, Tiki. I'm sure they're all glad that their friend still cares for them so much after such a long time." The prince heard a ring in the distance. "Ah. It seems father has come to visit the Fortress. I should go meet him. It's been a pleasure Tiki," the ninja bowed before leaving the library, book in hand.

 _ **C rank support Achieved!**_

Shad was at the fortress door in moments and took a knee before his father. "It's good to see you here, father," the prince smiled, still cradling a book in his arm. "What brings you to the Fortress today?"

"Seeing how you were adjusting back in to the Norhian way of life my son... how are you feeling?" Garon asked his son.

"Very well. I've read through every history and tactic book I could find in the library," Shad reported. "I've actually started picking up magic tomes as well. I find them interesting... endearing even."

"Impressive, you learn fast my son..." Garon had a slight smile on his face.

"When one is unsure of his own past, it is important to remedy it by looking to events around that time," the prince replied. "Even in Hoshido, I felt like I wasn't getting the whole story around me. Whether you murdered the king for selfish reasons or those you told me are still unclear, but I know one thing for certain now." Shad looked to his father with intense and sure eyes. "I am a Nohrian. Your son. And this is my home."

 _Just as much as Hoshido is._

The prince had a moment to realize Garon may be suspicious of his change of heart and decided to back his findings. "In the more recent texts, the meeting went as you said. But what I wasn't told, something Xander lied about by the way, was that I was taken while you were leaving Hoshido by a ninja. 'And so, in an act of unwarranted retaliation, the Hoshidans sent a thief to attack the king and kill him. However, realizing his chances were slim, he went for the weakest of the group; Garon's youngest son, Prince Shad. The assailant spooked the horses and robbed them of the babe in the confusion, disappearing without a trace.' It seems one to one with what very few memories I have of that time.

"Everyone would always dodge the question or give me the same answers as my siblings when my heritage was brought up. The only reason for such a thing, even from my own mother, would be if I was taken in by less than honest means. Not to mention that... I feel at home here." Shad was not lying anymore, giving his father the truth. "The culture, the land... even the air here feels righter than it did in Hoshido. Although, I must ask... about my brother, Damon. When he fought, it wasn't in the way a servant or a knight would. It was the way a man fighting for his home would. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is... was my brother truly happy here? Cared for like I would have been? Because if so, then what is the point of this war?

"And I apologize for rambling, father, but it's always confused me. There were no records to what started it in Hoshido, and I thought in the library here I would find something but... I didn't. And this is what perplexes me, because if it's food and agriculture you want, then you could simply use me to talk to the Hoshidan nobility diplomatically now. And even then, why would you go to war over it in the first place when you have an abundance of silver and other ores? Couldn't you have offered trade between the two in a mutually beneficial agreement and avoid hostilities altogether?" There was a decent crowd around the two, Shad's logic and reasoning enrapturing all who were passing and making them question the same things themselves.

"You see son, only one nation is destined to rule this continent... and it is inevitable as our two nations will clash, the Hoshidans have been grabbing all the rich resourceful parts of the continent letting our nation suffer for their greed... it created much resentment in Nohr." He explained to Shad.

Shad thought for a moment and nodded. "That makes sense. Men are usually naturally envious of what they do not have. Wealth, food, status... as sad as it is, it also makes even honest men do less than honest things, whether they have good intentions or not. Even if we do not agree with the sins of our forefathers, we more often than not must deal with the fallout or even continue it ourselves, like it or not."

"Trust me son... it is the way of Nohr... the more you understand the better you'll come to understand the cycle of Chaos." He chuckled showing him another book of the Nohrian wars.

Shad smiled and stowed his current book in his coat before taking the new one. "Thank you, father. Out of all the history books, I think I love ones on wars the most. A blend of tactics and history in one, along with management of soldiers and other things. I'm sure you're aware of this by now, but such things resonate greatly in me. My track record in Hoshido is enough to show that..." Shad frowned, both at fond memories and the slight betrayal against his trust for all these years. He would have understood. Hell, he was a ninja. He would have understood better than anyone that dishonest tactics were needed over honor at times. "And I would like to apologize for directing such tactics at you and your men for such a long time. It brings me no end of guilt to recall such things... especially my most recent plan."

Garon hummed for a moment, debating whether the child before him was deceiving him or sincere in his words before ultimately deciding to leave the matter for a later time. "It matters not. Come. There is someone you must meet." The prince nodded and stood, following his father to the training yard as the king opened the door. Shad stopped as he took notice to a woman with blue hair and light armor, fashioned with a cape. "This is Lucina. She will be in charge of your sword training from this day forth."

Lucina paused as she narrowed her eyes down on the man, reading him. Shad noticed the tone of the woman and reciprocated. "Charmed," Lucina said to him, his book still in hand.

Shad got a cold vibe from her, as if the word 'Charmed' was vaguely sarcastic... she seemed to be in pain underneath her demeanor. "… Light armor, toned physic... you prefer using your speed to close in and use your blade and inherent strength to punish enemies. Highly capable of using magic, yet unable to use tomes and scrolls due to your already affirmed style of fighting... I can see why you chose her, father. For my former role as a ninja in Hoshido, correct? My speed would complement her style of fighting to a degree as I came into my own, still being able to pick up on her own tricks as well." He purposefully left out her mental state for the time. That was a problem personal to her and had no impact on his training unless she would attempt to kill him in the process like 'big sister' Camilla.

"Shad, I ordered my children not to harm you in any way possible, including all retainers and officers under the command of the Nohrian Kingdom... so you have no reason to worry here..." He assured his son.

"I know... but it never hurts to be a little cautious," Shad replied as he grabbed a training sword from a rack. "Well, Lucina, my name is Shad. I look forward to learning under you." He finished his introduction with a slight bow to the woman, looking into her eyes for a moment and seeing something odd, yet familiar for some reason. Her left eye had a strange symbol reminiscent of the hole in her sword, encompassing both her iris and her pupil.

 _Why do I feel like I know her...?_

"So, where are we starting then?" Shad asked as he drew closer to her, bronze sword in his dominate right hand. "Footwork? Stances? Or something else that you're going to throw at me out of nowhere?"

"I want to see your stances first of all... a simple one first. Go in to your aggressive stance." She ordered him.

Shad nodded and adjusted his feet, reinforcing his balance and held his sword to his side in a firm grip, in a position he could go into either an attack or guard at a moment notice while still staying loose and ready to dodge. "Like this?" He asked, not noticing his offhand had moved into a position that made it look like he was holding something, a book by the way his hand was shaped.

"Hmph... defensive position." She ordered the ninja. He flipped his sword in his hand and brought it close to his chest, making a decent guard of his abdomen. Again, it looked like something should have been in his other hand to cover a slight gap in that guard. "Evasion!" She ordered seeing as she tossed a book at him. He jumped back and turned his body in the air, the book soaring past him and hitting a weapons wrack.

"Anything else?" Shad asked, a calm look on his face, marred only by a slight smile.

"So you got the basics, do you have any special stealth stances?" She asked seeing as if he can maneuver in the dark. He nodded and took a capsule from his coat and tossed it on the ground, creating a loud band and a flash of light. Though it was only for a less than a few seconds, Shad was missing when her eyes readjusted. She felt the blunt of a blade on her neck.

"Not much room or cover in here. Put me in a forest, and you can kiss me goodbye," Shad chuckled. He took the sword away from her vital point and continued to speak. "But if you mean like crouching and things like that, I can show you those too." There was an air of enjoyment to his voice as he spoke this time.

"…..Crouching?" She asked seeing as anyone could crouch.

"Trying to stand up and being stealthy is impossible without a crowd," Shad explained. "Getting lower to the ground immediately lessens how tall you are, taking longer to be noticed in most cases. Not to mention it gives you more control of how much sound you make due to how much closer you are to the ground now. Put it this way, what would make more sound? Footsteps while standing up where you have to lift your feet higher, or in a smaller stature where you don't need to go as high?"

"Depends how you actually move your feet... there are several different ways to walk, run, and march." Lucina retorted.

"Hehe... you're smart," Shad smiled at her warmly. "I like that. And while you're right, in extended periods of stealth, it's better to keep yourself as small and close to the ground as possible, such as when you need to hide. If you know how to run properly, you could technically run down a hall and no guards would hear you, but that's usually when you're on a time limit. However, you're more noticeable due to your now large size."

Lucina's eyes narrowed down on him. "Excuse me? My large size?" She asked Shad.

He was confused for a moment before he realized what he implied. "My apologies! By size I mean the bodies of people in general, taking everything into account. For you in particular, I'm referring you your height and-"

"And what?!" She snapped at Shad, as now she looked like she was going to kill him.

"Yeesh... If you want me to be honest it's your hair and cape..." He muttered.

"Oh so now my hair is too big?! " She continued to get angrier.

"Actually, it looks pretty as it is, silky too. But having loose articles, hair included-"

* _ **SLASH!***_

Lucina's sword hit the floor board. "Defend yourself!" She snapped swinging the blade towards his direction.

Shad's combat instincts reared up and he parried the blade with an upward strike and kicked her away, followed up by reaching into his coat and throwing the tome he was carrying at her. With her disoriented, he closed the gap and dropped his weapon, instead opting to grab her wrist with one hand and placing the other on her back. In a quick movement, he pinned her to the ground, twisted her wrist to make her let go of her sword, and kicked the blade away. He panted slightly as adrenaline pumped through him and winced. Her initial strike had cut his right hand. "Gah... damn it..." He clicked his tongue.

Lucina navigated her legs on top of his as she used the strength in legs to wobble her body to the left before rolling on top of him, slamming his arms against his chest with the force and striking power of her back. "Whoa!" Shad shouted, feeling the sting in his hand. "Hold up a sec!" Once more the blade was in her hands, and Shad was forced to retrieve his to defend the next strike, this woman snapped. Before she could attack again, he blurted out, "Why the hell are you trying to kill me when I was complimenting your beauty?!"

She immediately stopped stunned by that question, while Shad's reactive instincts went in to high gear moving his blade to meet hers, but the blade passed her blade as it dropped slicing her padded armor links, causing the tannery around her breasts to slowly fall off. Shad could immediately see where this was going and whipped his coat off, placing it over her. "S-sorry... instincts... I usually capitalize on hesitation and couldn't resist." Lucina said nothing as she just simply grabbed her blade and moved towards the exit in a near deathly hurry. "Uh... hold on, wait!" Shad shouted and gave chase, grabbing her armor off the ground along with his tome.

Lucina got behind her door, locking the reinforced door. "Go away..." She said from behind her door.

"Look... I know what I said didn't really come off as what I wanted to, but did I insult you that much?" Shad asked worriedly, fiddling with the tannery in his hands. He could see a bit of white fabric. It belonged to her bra was in that tannery as well, seeing he cut deeper than he anticipated. "… Oh, gods damn it," he sighed, slipping the fabric under her door before leaving with the armor. "I'll be right back..." He returned a few moments later with some leather cords and thread. "I uh... I have your armor all sewn up... got you some new cords too." At her silence, he knocked on the door again. "Lucina? Are you... are you alright? I didn't cut you, did I?"

"No... you just cut through my clothing..." She said to him behind the door.

The former ninja blushed slightly. "Yeah... sorry about that." He hissed in pain again, looking at his right hand. She landed her blow on the back of his right wrist, slicing through some of his black glove "Damn it... gloved got cut... Well, this is why I brought the thread..."

"You didn't see anything did you?" She asked Shad, still uncomfortable of showing another man her body.

"Of course not. I'm a ninja, not a pervert. I threw my coat on you before I could, I promise," he assured her with a smile. "I mean, someone has to be a gentleman, right?" He sighed and slid down the back of her door until he was sitting. "You know... when I was talking about your hair, I meant that wearing it loose like that leaves a wider area to see when you're running. But honestly? I think it's gorgeous. So blue and silky... I can tell that you take care of it as well as you do the rest of yourself. And I did _not_ mean to call you fat back there. Hell, with the way you fought, I wouldn't be surprised if you're more in shape than my big sister, Hinoka! The way you moved, you struck... it's like I finally got to see a true sword expert today. And honestly? I probably did." He couldn't stop talking now, even if he wanted to. "And your eyes... gods... easily one of the most beautiful pairs I've ever seen."

"You're trying to work up to my good side to actually see what you cut open..." Lucina deadpanned.

"No," Shad shook his head. "I'm being genuine. You're just as good as your father was, Lucina. I'm sure he'd be proud of you."

"…...How did you know about my father?" Lucina asked him standing up from the ground.

Shad was about to reply when he realized... he didn't. "I... I haven't the slightest clue..."

She opened up the door and grabbed him leaning him against her wall. "Then why bring it up?!" She snapped with tears in her eyes.

"I-I don't know!" Shad stammered. "It just felt like something I should say! I don't even know if your father was a swordsman or not!" Shad growled in pain in his right hand and tore his glove off, nursing the wound. "Gods damn! What kind of poison did you put on that sword?!"

"You're a little bastard who preys on people's pain... " She seethed moving her hands to his neck.

"L-Lucina... I swear, I was only concerned for you..." He assured her, grasping her hands and trying to pull them off him, revealing the back of his formerly gloved hand to her. A purple mark was on his hand, three eyes on separate two lines that cured into his wrist and twisted around each other. Lucina recognized it immediately; the Fell Brand.

Memories and cursed hope seared her mind and forced her to release him. "He died... Robin died... and all I have left... All that is left of my friends and family have been scattered in to the wind like leaves..." Her hands trembled as she fell to her knees.

Shad rubbed his neck and sighed before stooping down to her level and tilting her chin up so her gaze met his. "They wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your life in agony... if you must get stronger, do it to protect the people you meet in the future. Your friends and family in the future. Because take it from me, dwelling on the past does nothing but hurt you... I'll be honest..." Shad took his hand off her and sat against the wall, not looking at her. "I almost hurt... no, killed someone dear to me long ago... I know where you are now and trust me... it isn't a road you want to keep going down.

Lucina was left to sob and mourn for everything she had been through and lost... yet it wasn't enough, seeing in her eyes, fate was out to get her. Shad grabbed her tannery and the chords, keeping his eyes on her shoulders as he tied the new chords in, no longer leaving her topless. "There..." The former ninja took his coat back and smiled. "Hang on..." He took out his needle and thread and got to work stitching her padded cloth armor back together. "... I may not know your father... but I do know that he would want to remember him with a smile... not tears. Same as this Robin fellow." He bit off the thread and brushed her tears away. "Come on... let's see a smile for them."

While she didn't indulge him, she went to her bedtable and pulled out a drawing. "This... this is Robin," she told him, handing it to him. Shad looked over the picture and nodded. White, feathery hair about his length, a similar facial structure, frame... he even looked like Shad did in his coat, even if the patterning was different and said coat was more form fitting.

"You know... not to be vain or anything, but... this guy kinda looks like me, doesn't he?" He asked Lucina with a chuckle.

Lucina froze hearing that sort of vanity from the Ninja."…..yes..." She sighed grabbing the photo and putting it back where it belongs, while being very careful not to break it. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized... he wasn't wrong. His hair was a bit more curled and black, and he wasn't a perfect match face and stature wise, but she could definitely see it now that he said it. But... it couldn't be. He would have remembered her if he did. But then again... he somehow knew about her father. But then there was that most damning piece... the Fell Brand on his hand.

Shad sighed and stood up, beginning to bandage the injury. "You okay?" He asked, seeing the look in her eyes.

"You look so much like him... and my mind couldn't accept that you weren't my Robin... it's why I was hostile towards you." She explained.

"Eh... no hard feelings," Shad shrugged, moving on to stitch up his glove. "Gods know that the human mind is the most complex thing in existence. Well... Dragons too, but it's the same basic deal." He gave her a small smile. "You're a great woman, Lucina. I'm sure you'll find a guy worth your time if you look for one. Any guy would be lucky too. You're powerful, smart, beautiful... if you liked that Robin guy, he was mad not to at least attempt to go for you."

"…. You're... maybe you have a point..." She said wiping away her tears. Shad could see he was getting to her.

"There ya go!" Shad beamed at her. "You've been through a lot... anyone can tell that. But you going to let pain from the past stop you from being happy in the future? That'd just be disrespecting the thing I'm sure your father and Robin gave you in the first place." He took her hand and placed it on her blade. "The rest of your life. You can't just waste it grieving... as long as you can fight, you can change your fate and future."

A sudden bump in her heart caused her to think of something, she had a sudden urge of unknown feelings course through her. "So...now what?" She asked Shad.

Shad gave her a smile, though there was a somber tone to it. "You heal. Find someone worth living for and spending your life with." He stood to leave, placing his needle and thread in his coat.

She moved her hands around his left hand stopping him. "Why do you care so much for me?" She asked him, obviously confused.

"I can't answer that myself... maybe I just sense a kindred spirit?" He guessed, letting out a small laugh. "Though I guess I'd have to pity you if you were. Heheh..." The former ninja rubbed the mark on his hand subconsciously.

"Pity?" She asked him in a somewhat defeated tone. "I need... help...not some pity from someone as strong as you..." She said to him clenching her fists.

"Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm smart, not strong. Not at _all_ strong..." He shivered at a memory. "Just... trust me. You're better off without someone like me ruining your life."

"My life is already destroyed... Shad... Doesn't that make us perfect for each other?" She asked letting go of the padding around her chest, that was cut by his blade.

Shad almost wanted to take her up on her offer. But... "You're still alive. And I like to think I put you on the road to being happy again after our talk." He wanted to kick himself for saying what he was, but it was for her own good in his mind.

"Shad wait... I want to try something if you don't mind?" She asked stepping closer to him.

The man's heart started to pound. "… Depends on what it is..." She moved her gentle hands around his head, moving her thumbs under his eyes, before slowly moving her face to meet his, pressing her lips to his and stealing a kiss from him. His heart pounded and his mark started to glow, and he pushed her off in panic, gasping for air. Lucina was pushed on to the floor seeing she already dropped her cut padding, revealed to him her bust size being pressed against her chest with a clean white bra. "D-don't..." He panted, looking away from her and hiding his brand. "You... you deserve better... far better... someone who can actually protect you instead of almost killing you every day..."

"You don't see yourself worthy?" She asked Shad, demoralized hearing him reject her.

"I..." He shivered, remembering the last time he felt this way, "I'm cursed... everything I care about either turns to ruin or comes close to... this thing, on my hand?" Shad showed her the now glowing Fell Brand. "Literally every person connected to magic has said it's a dark, cursed thing... it's why I'm always wearing my gloves. To keep it under wraps. To keep the people I care about safe. I don't even know what it does, but... every time I get excited, without fail, strange things happen... things break easier, people mess up on critical matters... In one instance, I even almost killed my own fucking sister!" Shad fell to the ground, both in anguish and exertion from holding himself back. "I'm better off guiding armies... better off keeping people away for their own good."

Lucina sighed as she curled up, hugging his form. "You just have a lack of direction, you're not cursed."

"Aren't I though?" He asked with a sort of mad chuckle. "I've almost killed my own brother, put him on deaths door myself, driven off my family in Nohr, hell, even in Hoshido I wasn't very well liked! Everyone saw me as the 'black sheep...' Almost addicted to my tactics and strategy games when everyone wanted peace..."

"You just don't have anyone to share this pain with you..." She said stroking his hair.

"Hell... I almost hurt you. No! I did one better by humiliating you with a hit that didn't even cut you, just your damn top!" Shad raved. "Everything I touch, everyone I try to connect with... I always find some way to fuck it up! Just... once... I don't want that to happen..."

"Gods... you're just like Robin...he was exactly like this Shad... he refused to let anyone close to him and he died protecting us..." She scolded him, slapping him upside the head.

"Heh... don't go projecting what couldn't be on me..." He teased her, trying to lighten the mood. "I might look like the guy, but to be honest? I'm not. He sounded like a hero, someone people could respect."

"He would've been a great father... but like I said, he refused to let anyone near him, in the fear of harming us..." She complained moving herself on his lap. "You have pain... And loss Shad... you need a comfort zone in your heart or you are doomed to repeat Robin's mistake." She ordered. He couldn't take it anymore. Her words, her touch, hell even her scent was too much. And for the first time in a while, he pulled her into an embrace, shuddering with every breath

(line break)

" _ **BLECK!"**_ Errihpas said with a disgusted tone. _ **"This...romance is disgusting, they don't fit!"**_ She complained with Dahs behind her standing over the observation portal _ **.**_

 _ **"Like it or not, this is pretty close to how we first met..."**_ He informed his daughter.

" _ **Daddy, we didn't meet in weakness..."**_ She said seeing that this Shad was being...compromised by his own weakness.

 _ **"I was referring to Lucina, dear. I met her in a similar manner," the man clarified.**_

Anak appeared behind the two, looking down. "Wait... Uncle, something is off... can you feel it?" She asked Dahs.

 _ **"Yes..."**_ His fists clenched and his eyes lit up. _**"And it angers me..."**_

"Were we... were we just Hoodwinked?!" Anak snapped seeing this world was suddenly changed.

 _ **"No... Pam and the old man toyed with the rules in a bid to rid me of these memories..."**_ Dahs growled.

"When did they do that?!" She hissed.

 _ **"Years ago... but because we were ordered to keep tabs on your father, we didn't notice until the months before this."**_

Aynes appeared in an electrical flash, jumping on Errihppas, throwing her over her father. "Uncle! I forgot something! Someone is messing with time!" She showed him blank papers.

 _ **"I know, young one..."**_ Dahs growled as memories and tears began to rekindle. _**"… Sapphire. Senya. I have a task for you."**_

Anak moved her dagger through the portal, causing it to singe and hiss. "We're blocked out from here... Uncle we need to find that Rainbow fuck and kill him...He's putting up barriers." Anak said to her uncle.

 _ **"That is none of my concern for now... I just need to vent..."**_ The spymaster growled. _**"Find Pam and bring her to me alive..."**_

"Hey, Hey..." A female Ninja master said to Dahs, putting her arms around him. "You can come vent with me... and a playmate..." She whispered.

He took several deep breaths before being calmed for the moment. _**"You're right, my love..."**_ He sighed with a small smile, kissing her deeply.

"hmhmhm... now where is that little geek... She's perfect for a little punishment of her back talk to me..." She said pulling him away from the sight of portal viewing Shad.

"So... are you going to keep watching then?" Anak asked her cousin and sister. At a shake of their head, she took over. "Where is...' _ **daddy'….. "**_ She asked the portal, watching him in the Hoshidan room...calm and collected. "….Kana... He looks relatively calm for a jerk who is captured..." Aynes complained to her sister.

"Because it isn't his first time," Errihppas giggled. "His own cocky attitude just gave him away!"

"Impossible, only variants know..." Aynes argued.

"Oh? Can't the old man send people back with memories intact?" Dahs's daughter asked.

"I'm going down there... Like... right now...Uncle will be proud of me, and so will daddy, and then I'll get that S status!" Anyes cheered, before jumping in to the portal.

(Line break)

Shad was latched onto Lucina, on the verge of sobbing as he panted heavily. "Lucina... I don't know if I can-" Lucina shushed him as she hugged him, kissing the top of his head, and rubbing the back of his neck. His mark started to burn. He needed release and soon. "I don't know how much longer I can hold myself back... Please... let me leave before I do something we'll regret..." She smiled as she popped off her bra for him, giving him a clear view of the two melons. "Lu-Lucina..." Shad's mind started to turn hazy as his instincts started to bang on the door of his mind. She moved his head against her chest, letting him listen to her heart beat, a slight thump in her chest as she kissed the man on the head. "I... Are you really okay with this? I only just met you... what? An hour ago? Two? Tops?" He was on the verge of total loss of control.

The last straw was when her right nipple brushed up against his lips, nearly moving the bud in to his mouth. Claws formed on his hands, his teeth sharpened, and his pupils turned to slits, not unlike a lizard or wyverns. He suddenly pinned her to the ground, panting heavily as he looked into her eyes. "Lucina..." His voice was slightly warped, and a pair of tattoos that made it look like he had two extra pairs of eyes at the top and bottom corners formed. "I don't think I can hold back anymore... I need to hear you say it's okay to do this before anything..."

"Shad... I gave you clearings when I popped off my top..." She sighed, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

There was a red hue as he stared down at her. "I know... but I'm not the best with people now, am I?" He kissed her fiercely, sharp teeth nibbling at her lower lip as he started to disrobe. The former ninja's heart quivered as he heard the lightest of moans escape her lips. "Patience, my darling..." He whispered as he whipped off his shirt, revealing the rest of his scar. It was long and wide, going diagonally from his left shoulder to his right hip.

Lucina breathed out a sigh of relief feeling his skin against hers. "Okay...maybe we should list some ground rules?" She asked. There was a dark tone to his laugh as he picked her up and pinned her to her bed, sitting on her lap as he started taking his pants off. "Or I'm taken like a bitch in heat..." She said rubbing her own hair in a repeated motion.

"A bitch?! Perish the thought, my dear!" Shad declared aghast at her accusation. "I'm going to make this something we both enjoy. But if you want me..." He dragged a claw down from her cheek to her chin, leaving a mark while not quite puncturing her skin. "You're getting all of me... and I expect the same from you. Okay?"

She nodded as she got to her feet and laying down on the bed, sticking her ass up. "Do your thing..." She said with a smile.

Shad subconsciously licked his lips as he pulled his trousers off and knelt behind her, his mast knocking at her folds. "Are you ready, my love?" He asked her sensually, his hot breath licking at her inner ear. She gave his shaft a rub with her cheeks, stating she was in fact ready for him, the fact that his shaft was being hot dogged in between her cheeks was a sight for hungry eyes... and his eyes were starving. He took the plunge, slowly pushing into her as she was a virgin too. "Now... I'm no expert on how this works, but... this is going to sting." He pushed past her hymn, a trickle of blood running down her thighs as she let out a pained squeak.

"Well now... that was a cute noise..." He teased her, his hands on her hips and his head near her ear. "Care to see if I can make it again?"

"I'd rather you not..." She said in an embarrassed tone, seeing that the noise that came from her was completely uncalled for in her mind, though Shad pushed again, emitting the same squeak from her mouth.

"Aww..." Shad mock cooed as he thrusted again, forcing it out for a third time. "You really seem to like this little guy, don't you?" He thrusted again, this one a little surer than the others as he tried to find a rhythm. His hands moved to her breasts, squeezing the firm mounds firmly but not roughly.

"You seem to like my breasts a...a lot..." She moaned.

"Are you kidding? I like every bit about you," he complemented as he experimentally squeezed her right boob. "From these..." He brushed down her stomach and to her hips. "To these..." Shad grabbed her butt and pressed the cheeks together teasingly. "To these... and especially _this!_ " He punctuated his sentence with a slightly more powerful thrust, ramming into her pussy. "It isn't even just your figure that I'm thinking about right now... it's your eyes, the way you fight, how intelligent you are..."

* _ **Knock...Knock..***_

Shad froze at the noise, and so did Lucina, both immediately looking to the door. "Wh-who is it?" The blue haired woman asked.

Tiki somehow appeared in the room behind Shad, poking him in the back. "Hey Jerk!" Tiki cried out. "WAKE UP!" She screamed throwing a giant scythe at him.

Suddenly Shad had a headache. "Wuh... Wuh?" He asked as his eyes drifted open.

Shad saw that Luciana was still hugging him rubbing the back of his neck. "Like I said you're not cursed, Shad... you just need some time to get to know yourself, rather than seeing the smaller pictures in life." She consoled him with advice.

Despite being confused by what just happened, he rolled with it and embraced her tighter. "Heh... thanks, Lucina..."

Lucina got off from his lap, as she got up to move over to the thread and needle on her side table. "I have to go repair my clothing now, since you sliced it open Shad... " She stated.

 _Shit... I forgot to do that. Oh well, at least the majority of her armor is fixed._

"Oh, so now I am cursed?" He asked jokingly as he stood up, grabbing his book.

"No, you're just guilty of cutting open a girl's blouse..." She pointed out.

Shad gave her a sheepish grin. "Well... hey, maybe next lesson you can teach me how to not do that then?" His urges were still strong as he grasped his aching head. "That'll have to be tomorrow though... I haven't the slightest clue why, but I have a splitting headache. I'll see you later, Lucina."

The blue haired warrior gave him a slight smile as he left her room. "I'll see you later, Shad."

 _ **C support Achieved!**_

Shad followed his ears through the halls, trying to make sense of what just happened.

 _A hallucination? No, I'd have been moving if it were. A dream? Probably, but why did I fall asleep?_

 _No, child. It was a vision of what would have happened if you had accepted who we are sooner._

 _Will you leave me alone!? All you have ever done is cause me heartache and guilt!_

 _Fine... but you know as well as I do that you can't escape yourself..._

The former ninja's rage was boiling as he turned a corner, and it almost erupted at what he saw before him. A man had a raven haired woman pinned to a wall, struggling and cursing his name as she tried to break loose. "It's no use, sweet heart," the guard grinned with a lecherous look. "Without 'Lord Damon's' protection, you're as much of fair game as the common folk."

The woman glared, her gloomy eyes full of malice and hate. "I swear, when I get my hands on you, I'll-"

The guard slapped her, the sound echoing in the halls. "You'll do nothing without your fancy spells," he growled. Tharja turned her eyes down and away from the man, chanting lightly as the guard started to undo the buckle of his pants. Shad was frozen in place, both by anger and worry.

 _Damn it! I can't just let this happen! But if this guy is important to father for some reason... I can't lose him too..._

There was a glint as the man's pants dropped, revealing a bulge in his undergarments. "Hehehe... that bastard Damon dying was the best thing that's ever happened to me!"

… _To hell with it..._

Shad's vision turned red as he sprinted forward, tackling the man to the ground and slipping a knife from his coat. _"You know... I don't like when my family's name is dirtied..."_ The prince growled, pressing his knife to the guard's throat. _"ESPECIALLY by garbage like you... it's people like you that made me lose faith in the masses. Scum like you don't even deserve to exist..."_

"Who the Hell are you?!" The guard snapped.

 _"Prince Shad... The man running this fortress..."_ The prince growled, knife pointed at the man's throat.

The guard went stiff as a board. "What did you say your name was?"

 _"S-H-A-D, Shad. Garon's long lost son... back from the grave."_

"….. _ **You're not supposed to be here..."**_ His voice was...hollowed.

 _"Right... and you're not supposed to be alive anymore..."_ Shad slit his throat and a gleam took over his eyes.

The guard was oozing out black blood like substance as he pushed the prince off, stood and turned around. _**"Fallen Prince..."**_ He said gripping Shad's wrist revealing the mark on his own wrist.

 _"Hehe..."_ Shad chuckled, his face and knife bloody. _"hehehe..."_ The prince flipped the grip on his knife and slashed before tackling the guard down again and mounting him. _"Hehehehehe..."_

" _ **Your existence is questionable... and unstable...your death will come.."**_ The guard continued to repeat.

 _"Shut up... Shut up and die!"_ Shad started to stab, a crazed look in his eyes as he gouged out eyes, his throat and tongue before piercing every organ in the guard's body, a mad man's laugh bubbling up from his throat as he did. The Guard dissolved leaving bits of armor pieces behind, as the cracks swallowed up the black material on the ground. Shad's laughter faded after a few seconds, along with the black on him and his blade. _"Heh_ e... heeeeeeh... I... I needed that..." He panted as he got up and looked to the woman. "You okay there? That asshole didn't do anything bad, did he?" The prince got a good look at her eyes. A crystalline purple that almost ensnared him.

"…..He got close enough... who are you? I mean I know your name S-H-A-D, or perhaps you go for being called Prince...or Prince Shad... or how about Shad?" Tharja asked the man.

"Shad works... and you?" The prince asked.

"...Call me Tharja, and no nicknames or you'll be ending up like a certain individual who was picking up burned articles of his clothing..." Tharja warned Shad.

Shad gave her a flippant look. "Didn't intend on it."

"Good... Then we have common ground... now speak, who are you and what do you seek?" She asked him stepping closer.

Shad took a moment to compose himself. "Well, as I told that bastard, who I'm fairly certain is going to cause me no end of grief later in my life, I'm the Son of Garon."

"That being the _**Fell Dragon**_? Is that the problem?" She asked Shad, seemingly aware of what the mark was and what that...guard was talking about.

"Huh... So that's what this mark is..." Shad muttered to himself, brushing his bandaged hand. "I'm sorry, but what's a Fell Dragon? I've only heard of the Dusk and Dawn ones."

"Not here... come with me." She said gripping his hand rather tightly, dragging him off towards her room.

"Wh-whoa!" Shad gasped at the sudden change of pace before being pushed into the woman's room. Her room had incense burning, and was barely lit. Beads hung around the room of each passage way beyond her door. "Wow... nice place... it reeks of magic... and trust me, I don't mean that in a bad way."

She put her right index finger on his lip. "Shhhhhhhhh...sit." She ordered pointing at the plush dark chair at her table. The prince said nothing, knowing the woman before him could hex him into submission if he refused and sat down.

"Now with your basic knowledge... what do you know of the Fell Dragon?" She asked Shad pulling out a record book.

"He's a dragon... judging by the name, not a very good one either. More like the Dusk Dragon that the Nohrians worship," Shad guessed.

"…...He was a monster... A psychotic, brutal, murderous, and rampaging beast, that destroyed everything in its wake..." She began to say, showing him the book of records with household sigils, myths, and legends.

Shad absorbed the information with a critical mind. "Well... that definitely doesn't sound like anything I'd like to run into... I'm quick and clever, but a dragon like that?"

"It took everything we had... and it wasn't enough, by mere chance he was destroyed with the help of another Dragon... though it came with a price, countless of friends dead, and a homeland destroyed... the evil was vanquished... but I know, for some reason, that evil wasn't permanently destroyed... it only transferred to the next plaguing- powerful victim... This evil isn't something that is easily destroyed." She informed him.

Shad noticed something as she talked. A pain in her eyes, the wincing at certain parts of her sentences and the fact she said 'friends...' "You... you were there... weren't you? When the Fell Dragon was defeated," the prince questioned her.

She took the book of records, closing it, quietly before placing it in a shelf full of books. "….It's in the past... I rather not disturb the dead who have gave their lives to bring up such things..." Tharja answered with a slight pain.

"Um... that mark on that guard's wrist... You said it was the dragon's?" Shad asked, rubbing his bandaged hand.

"A cursed mark, great power...only one had such a mark before..." She vaguely answered him.

"Tch... I knew it..." Shad growled under his breath, his confidence at an all-time low now. He stood up, fuming at what he was just told. "Thanks for the lesson, Tharja. If that ever happens again or you think it will, come find me. I'll put it to rest."

"You're Prince Damon's brother aren't you?" She asked moving back to her shelf.

The coat wearing prince nodded. "That's right."

"I found it odd..." She started to say looking through a book of sketches.

Shad stopped in his tracks and turned back to her. "What?"

She moved over to the man, as she started to pull on his pointed ear on his left side. "Your ears are pointed... Your brother however..." She pulled out a pencil sketch showing his form, he looked normal.

"Yeah... I know... I don't forget faces..." The prince grieved, ashamed of what he did.

"There was a...weight to him, a weight of burden, pain, and loss... I couldn't understand it." She informed him.

"Yeah, well... He has his life and past, I have mine... But I doubt it's anything that can keep him down," Shad muttered, his guilt climbing.

 _Gods damn it, Shad! What the hell have you done!?_

"Did you tell his maids?" She asked with a monotone voice, that pierced his soul.

Shad's eyes glowed a slight red as he looked into her purple orbs. "I told one of them that I think he's still alive. And I stand by what I said. If I had known of the other, I would've told her too if I saw her. But I'm not about to go out of my way for a person who isn't even there... not if they aren't important to me at least."

"You give hope, when you said he might be alive... but think about it, cursed one... you gave her false pretense, you left him on the field of battle, infected with venom, shot, and was ran through a naginata."

The prince felt his guilt and rage spike. "And what the hell was I supposed to do?! Huh?! I didn't know it was him, didn't know I was fighting my brother!"

"Wasn't the Hoshidan way for peace?" She asked seeing as he was captive.

"Well I'm not Hoshidan, am I?! Fuck, I don't even know if I'm a Nohrian anymore!" The prince roared.

"You were... for all your known life, raised in Hoshido, with their methods, and their beliefs... yet, you decided to attack him." Tharja put away the sketch.

"No... almost none of it stuck..." Shad growled. "And that's why I attacked. I saw a potential threat to me and my family, and I attacked."

"A noble? An officer? Alone, even by the engraved surcoat? What was it...black with the red Nohrian symbol?" She asked the rogue.

"And what the hell do you know?!" Shad yelled, frustrated at himself. "You weren't even there! You were here!"

"I think you snapped, when you saw him tackle the Red Chevalian knight..." She went on.

The prince forced himself not to strike and grasped his bandaged hand. His glove did better at suppressing the magic, but he didn't have time to mend it.

 _You're nearing your limit, boy... can you resist the call for much longer?_

"D-Damn it... just shut up!" Shad yelled, at both Tharja and the voice in his head.

"He fought to subdue... he gave her the opportune chance to flee didn't he?" She asked, seeing Damon didn't fight aggressively with her, as if he was holding back.

Shad hated what he was about to do, but it was better than this... _thing_ taking control again. He grabbed Tharja by her neck and pinned her to the wall. "Shut... up..." His bandages fell off, revealing the glowing Fell Brand. "Before I do something... we'll both regret..." He panted.

" _ **You wanted to murder him**_..." She said to the distressed man. It was those last words that plunged the blade into his heart and twisted. He let out a roar and dropped her, forcing himself out the door and rushing down the hall, magic seeping from his every pore.

 _She's right... I did... but that was when I didn't know! I tried to save him after and kept Takumi from landing that fatal hit! If I hadn't, he'd be dead for sure!_

 _You didn't save him... you wanted to be the one to drive the dagger through his armor after you marked him with the Shuriken... a fell beast needs to finish what he started..._

 _That's a lie! I would have never done that if I knew who he was beforehand!_

 _Was it a lie when you nearly killed Hinoka?_

Tears rimmed the prince's eyes, and he ended up in the yard just outside the fortress, scaling a tree to hide in for the time being.

 _I need to sleep... need to calm down._

The first vision he received was during the fight, when Damon brought his foot down causing the ground to quake and tremor sending off major alarm bells... yet he refused to act on any information he was ringing out.

 _Why did you not cease? No man could do that...I think you liked the challenge..._

 _Shut up, shut up, shut up!_

 _You intended to remove any sort of competition, even if he had lovers and children, it didn't matter to you...you wanted him gone..._

 _This is a war! I've slaughtered far more than him, made far more widows and orphans!_

 _Nobles and Officers are always spared in the field of battle, foot soldiers are hacked to a man...yet you didn't care did you?_

 _And why would I have?! Nohr was the enemy, he was a threat to my family! I refuse to let them die! Just leave me alone, you cursed thing!_

 _His family...You saw a threat to ...his family..._

 _They RAISED ME! They're more family than the siblings who abandoned me days ago!_

More flashes of Damon letting Scarlet go, he wasn't striking at her, just making sure she got out of the mosh pit of death. A slight slowing down of the vision he could see an arrow flying at her, followed by him tackling her to the ground.

 _I heard arrows to the head are... Irreversible.._

 _Please... no more... why are you so hell bent on making my life hell?!_

 _I want you to know the lives you destroyed... how will his kids react knowing that their father could possibly never return to them? Does it fill your heart with a sudden warmness, knowing you had a hand in murdering him?_

" _GRAAAAAAAAAHR!_ " Shad woke himself up with the roar in his mind, his magic calmed... for the moment. Judging by the moon when he left the tree, it was just the start of the night. "It isn't true... I'm not like that... I'm not some callous demon who butchers whoever he wants..." He shivered as he flashed back to his fight with Hinoka.

(Line break)

 _ **Ten years ago, in Hoshido...**_

"Big sister, you can't go!" The younger Shad cried out to his red haired sister. "It's suicide going to Nohr by yourself! Wait for us all to get stronger, we'll find Damon together, finish this war and bring him back home!"

"Don't try to stop me, Shad!" She rebelled. "You have no idea how strong I am now! I will bring Damon back."

The child Shad fidgeted, trying to think of a way to stall for time so Ryoma could talk her out of it again. "Then... then prove it!" The young prince blurted out, his mouth moving faster than his head. "If you can't beat me... there's no way you can take on the Nohrians yourself!" The young prince regretted what he said the moment it left his lips, but he stood his ground and took out his training set of knives and shuriken.

She grabbed her naginata twirling it. "Shad... He could be in peril... and I won't stop until he's back home..." She said readying herself.

"And I won't let you get yourself killed!" The child roared, tears in his eyes.

"Move!" She ordered to make his move as she got in her combat stance.

The ten-year-old shook his head, getting into his own clumsy stance. He had only just started his training, he had no chance in a straight-out fight.

 _I just need to stall her... keep her busy until Big Brother gets here and can stop her himself..._

Hinoka charged, smacking his blade from the blunt end of her polearm, flinging it to the floor with a dull clatter, moving the blade up to his neck. "I'm going to save him... don't get in my way ever again.."

The child Shad teared up and lobbed a smoke pellet at her feet, buying him time to get some distance and throw a shuriken at her. She deflected it with ease. "No! I'll keep standing here! I... I don't want to watch you leave to your death, Hinoka!" Tears were freely running down his face now. "Please... I don't want to fight you anymore..."

"Get out of my way!" She ordered swinging her pole arm smacking the next shuriken as she smacked him with the pole arm, nicking his face and only just missing his eye.

Shad gasped feeling the sting of the weapon bit his flesh. "You... you cut me..." He panted, feeling blood run down his face.

She moved the blade part to the ground, as she saw the cut just under his tear duct. "I...I didn't mean to—"

"You... _cut..._ _ **me...**_ " Shad's birthmark started to glow. His fingers turned to claws and his teeth sharpened, a pair of tattoos resembling eyes appearing at the corners of his eyes going into the center of his face. _**"What... so now you're willing to kill me to go on your suicidal rescue mission?! I only wanted to protect you! And you go for blood when I'm not even using real blades?!"**_

Hinoka was getting a very bad feeling about his presence now, as it was menacing. "I... I'm sorry okay! But I need to go find him!" She said fearing for Damon's life.

 _ **"No... I only intended to stall until Ryoma got here to stop you, big sister, but now?"**_ Shad dropped his weapons and poised his claws to strike. _**"I'll stop you myself."**_ He gave her no room to register what was happening as he lunged, his magic seeped claws tearing through her armor like tissue paper.

Hinoka's eyes widened as she heard a sudden splash of blood, falling to one knee, unable to keep steady. Her naginata fell to the ground... in a sudden realization she saw Damon...last time she saw him before being taken with her father. She coughed up blood and quickly saw Shad come for another round, but this time... she heard Damon call to her.

 _ **"...Noka..."**_

With tear-stricken eyes she drove her fist right in to Shad's face, for all the pain applied to her wounds... nothing could compare to her heart... that hurt the most. Shad was stopped by the blow, but not phased. _**"That won't stop me this time, Big Sister... yield..."**_

Hinoka gritted her teeth as that one was to kill her, she would retaliate in kind. _**"This is for Damon... "**_ She hissed as she grabbed her naginata, twirling it around with her might and will, slicing his left shoulder down to his right hip, cutting through his clothing.

 _ **"Gah!"**_ Shad's eyes widened at the blow, his small and frail body unable to take the hit half as well as a grown man's, but these powers keeping it from marking his grave. His new features faded and he fell to one knee, his birthmark returning to normal. Hinoka hunched over before the light finally claimed her conscious, unable to stand any more.

* _ **THUD***_

"Big... big sister?" Shad asked, the pain suddenly numbing seeing his older sister, the one who was always there for him, drop to the ground. "No... No, no, no, big sister, you have to get up! Big sister!" Tears started to roll down his face as the gravity of what happened fully hit him.

 _I... I did this... Orochi was right... I really am cursed..._

The ten year old prince started to cry and wail as his brothers and little sister rushed to the scene, along with a plethora of guards. He could hardly make anything out, only hearing things pertaining to him being a 'monster' or a 'traitor' by almost everyone there. "I'm sorry..." He whimpered, finally succumbing to his own wounds. "I'm sorry big sister... everyone..." He fell to the ground and blacked out.

(Line break)

While he and Hinoka eventually made up, things were never quite the same in the castle. The servants feared him, the guards gave him weary looks, and even his mother was giving him a disappointed, almost fearful look.

 _I would have NEVER hurt Hinoka like that if you weren't there. You're the reason for everything in my life going wrong or being ruined! Why can't you just plague someone else's life instead?! Why must you haunt and torture me so?!_

 _Your brother lashed out in a moment of heat... but he didn't hurt anyone but himself... where do you think he got that scar on his face?_

 _I don't know! And why would you?! You haven't left me since I was born apparently!_

 _I overheard it...while you were sulking._

 _Shut up then! I'm not interested in anything you have to say, I'll figure it out myself!_

 _You realized if he is alive, he's going to come find you, and attempt to return the favor..._

That was Shad's breaking point.

 _Then let him! At least then I won't be burdened with having to constantly worry about killing everyone I ever cared about!_

 _Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!_

The voice faded to nothingness as Shad shivered and panted. "I... I need to fix my glove... I can't let this keep happening..." The prince rushed to his room and pulled out his kit, trying to calm his nerves enough to sew the tear from Lucina. Lucina...

 _"_ _You just have a lack of direction_ _, you're not cursed,"_ the memory of her echoed in his head.

 _She was wrong... I am..._

He tugged his glove back onto his hand, his headache and emotions settling enough where he wasn't on the verge of a mental collapse. "I... I need to at least try to make things right," he convinced himself, heading for the fortress smithy.

(Line break)

 _ **Seven hours later, around midnight...**_

Shad panted as he brought down the hammer in his hand again, continuing to shape the metal with increasing difficulty. He felt a firm hand on his shoulder and paused. "Yer wearin yerself out, kid," the blacksmith grunted. "I suggest ya take a break. Hot metal does bad things to yer flesh."

"Yeah... I'll do that... as long as these get down by tomorrow, I can afford to rest," the prince panted, picking up his coat before heading out of the basement levels of the fortress where the smithy was, drenched in sweat. He lethargically made his way into his room and fell on his bed, his eyes shooting open as his head impacted something hard instead of the soft pillow. "MOTHER FUCK!" He swore, rubbing the back of his head. "Who the fuck left a brick in my... oh..." He pulled the rectangular object from the pillow and paused, seeing it was in fact a journal. And judging by the name on the front, it was his brother Damon's. His curiosity peeked, he cracked it open and started to speed read through the pages, his face growing ever paler.

 _ **Stabbed through the back...**_

 _ **Both burned alive...**_

 _ **Beheaded...**_

 _ **Literally screwed to death...**_

 _ **Throat slit...**_

 _ **I have to prevent this from happening again.**_

That line rang out the most for the prince.

 _Prevent? Did this actually happen?_

 _ **No matter the age I am... the memories keep lapping up, I'm afraid to bring up the real nightmares to Camilla... It'd be too soon...to dangerous...**_

This journal was archived three years ago... Shad's rage grew and his mark burned under his glove, suppressed by the magic.

 _Who dared to hurt my brother..."_

 _ **Watch for the girl of Shadows and the girl of Madness...**_

"Shadows and madness... noted..." Shad yawned and continued to read.

 _ **A Phantom of darkness broke through and caused the brunt of the deaths... most being quick, while others barely holding by a thread. There was no warning, no signs, he came in quick and punched a hole through our defenses...**_

"This Phantom... nice name, but he seems strong... I'll need to be careful of him more than the others..." Shad muttered to himself.

 _Archived Four years ago... We're going further back._

 _ **Flora and Felicia told me they were both pregnant... I don't know what the fuck I was thinking having Max this early? Even if I wanted to have him raised by us, there is the problem that presents itself with Vixen and Arina...**_

 _This early? Prevent? Either my brother has gone mad here or he's not from this time. Let's see, more recent entries... a few months ago should work._

 _ **A few changes have been happening...First Lucina shows up from the ass end of nowhere, presumably where Severa has come from, then these 'friends' start arriving by the dozen... I have never heard of these people, and the disaster of Severa's homeland must've been worse or better, as if back then she could've been so traumatized she could've shut out her true past life... she rarely talks about it, only a few strongholds left standing, once told me to flee... but now? It's in a state of ruins, nothing left but ashes.**_

 _ **I keep hearing more of this...lost Prince from father, he talks about him rarely, knowing him he keeps his information locked up tighter than a priestesses...ahem.. Anyways, Xander told me he was brought to Nohr a year after I was born... then was kidnapped. Which I find it odd that there is even a lost prince here, he never existed from the part of time I'm from...**_

 _That checks out... but if I didn't exist then, what changed? Was it me existing in general that brought these changes about, or something else?_

 _ **The nightmares returned, haunting faces of a destroyed life... I have them all back...yet at the same time I don't have them back, it's painful to keep this to myself, yet I told Tiki about it and she believed me. Though, unfortunately I have to let the pieces fall in to place before this game is started... before I'm forced to relive this horror... I won't let that happen, I'll change fate if I must! But I will not fail!**_

"… Big bro..." Shad yawned, putting the book in his coat for later. It was better he kept it than one of the maids or Camilla finding it anyway. All of Demon's possessions were pulled out of the room, as Camilla didn't want a thing left in that room to be claimed by the what she named Shad as the 'Squatter'. "… Even if this doesn't work, I'm working with you, bro. Count on it. I'll tip the scales however I can..." Shad fell asleep after saying that, fatigue taking him.

(Line break)

 _ **A couple days later...**_

"I'm begging you, Flora, Felicia... please help me with this," Shad begged on his knees to the two maids.

"What do you want?" Flora asked as she stacked the silver trays on top of each other, while Felicia was sweeping the floor.

"I need your help making a weapon... for my brother, Leo," the prince informed them.

"Why would either of us help you? You tried to kill our Prince!" Flora snapped at Shad, while Felicia ignored him.

 _Hm... This should work._

"Because... when it gets out that this blade makes Leo even stronger and aids with keeping him safer, won't Damon be proud of you both?" Shad asked them. That got Felicia's attention, though Flora was still angered, knowing full well he intended to kill her Prince rather than capture him. "Who knows... maybe he may reward you both for your efforts as well? For having such a major role in his rescue from the Hoshidans."

"Flora, we have to help!" Felicia cried out to her sister. "...why you..." Flora gritted her teeth.

"I just need the blade enchanted. That's all," he told them both. "And you two have the best ice magic I've ever seen."

"Fine..." Flora said to Shad as she approached the Prince. "But if I find out you're using this blade against my Prince... I'll encase you in ice, and throw you down a cavern..." She threatened Shad, as her tone was cold and thick as ice.

Shad raised his hand in a salute, not at all perturbed by her tone. "You have my word as a Prince and a scholar. The sword will go to my brother Leo. No one else."

"Then we have a deal..." She murmured.

"Do you need help finding the smithy?" Shad asked them both as he stood up.

"No, we know where it is... Damon made sure to have us help with bringing him materials to the forge... there is actually an enhanced forge in there." Felicia pointed to a secret door. "Felicia!" Flora snapped. "But...it's so much closer..." The pink haired cried out pointing her index fingers together.

Shad was legitimately confused. "Pardon my confusion, but what makes this forge any different than the one in the basement? Does it make enchanted weapons or is the forge itself magic?" Flora pinched her bridge between her nose and walked over to a candle holder, yanking the mechanism down causing the wall in Demon's room to crack open with air exiting the secret room. "Huh... neat..." Shad mused as he entered, noting a chain to exit the room should the door close behind him. "So what's so special about this place then?" He bit back a dungeon foreplay joke, smugly chuckling to himself in his head.

"…. Damon kept materials in here including memorabilia, his tomes, and ripped pages of his journal." Felicia said, to Flora's ire which she clonked her sister on the head.

"Tomes?" Shad's eyes lit up. "He used tomes?"

"He can use a lot of spells, but prefers hand to hand combat... I can see why because his body is physically adept to pain, and endurance." Flora explained.

Shad pulled a book from the shelf and muttered the words under his breath. "Fimbulvetr..." He intoned. There was a blast of ice and snow from the book, launching him away from the sheer magnitude of the spell. "Note to self," he groaned as he picked himself off the ground and returned the book. "Direct the spell... Or get better at casting it." A glass shelf fell on his head spilling out a few tied pieces of paper. "Ow, son of a..." He discreetly pocketed the pages, unbeknownst to the twins.

"Great...now we have to clean this up..." Flora said while grabbing her sister by the ear. "Just get your blade started, we'll return shortly." Flora said, to Shad letting him get the pages out of his pocket.

"Well... at least it's chilly in here..." He chuckled as he looked them over.

The page wasn't just a page... It was a picture... There stood a man in fur and metal armor with a long sword, short hair, and under the picture scribed... _**Maximus... my greatest failure as a father...**_

"Flora's kid...? Really glad she didn't see this," Shad muttered as he pocketed the pictures, deciding to look them over later. "Now then..." He took off his coat and hung it up, as well as his shirt. One page peeked out, making him curious enough to look it over.

 _ **Can't burn... Can't burn...Can't burn...**_

He frowned at the writing. "What the..."

 _ **"I CAN'T KILL HER WITH FIRE! THAT MAD BITCH!"**_ The scribbled madness got more induced, showing a psychotic woman with daggers in her hands.

"Why does she look so... familiar?" Shad asked himself as he put the page away. "Okay Shad, time to get to work." He pulled a book from the shelf and pointed his palm to the forge. "Fire!" The instruments ignited, the room going from cold to average temperature in an instant. He smiled to himself and grabbed some steel. "Okay then... let's get to work."

(Line break)

 _ **A few hours later...**_

Shad wiped his brow as he laid the blade to rest. It was just about finished, all it needed was the main enchantment. "Flora! Felicia!" He shouted to the two maids.

Felicia tripped over her broom, while Flora made her way in to the forge. "Are you ready?" She asked the Prince.

"Yep. Just needs the enchantment and then I can quench it," Shad nodded, holding the white-hot blade away from them and himself. "Just hit it with some magic and it should take." Flora and Felicia concentrated their abilities as the room got colder for a few moments, they shot out their hands hitting the blade with their elemental blast. The blade that Shad forged began to become infused with the ice element the two maids cast upon it. "That should do it... and now..." He soaked the blade in a vat of oil, the substance lighting for a split second before settling down. Shad pulled out the blade, steaming with ice. "There... it's ready." He turned to the two and smiled. "Thanks again, you two. Really. I appreciate this."

"You are...most welcome, just make sure that we don't regret this... Prince Shad." Flora said with embarrassment seeing how she didn't want what she did to bite her Prince in the ass.

"Trust me... this will help my brother a lot..." Shad had a far off look in his eyes. "Hey... you two know Damon best, right? Was there anything he liked outside of you two and family?"

"Hmmm...well he enjoys my sister's cooking... and Camilla's...he collects weapons if you saw that... But then again, Lady Camilla did take his weapon rack out of here, while you are...staying here." Felicia was thinking.

"Was there anything it was missing?" Shad asked.

"Just his sword..." Flora pointed out, as he had his sword on him.

"Hm... pity... I liked using this forge. Would've loved to make something for when I see him again," Shad sighed, using a wind tome to kill the forge. "Again, thanks for the help ladies. If you need anything from me, ask. I owe you both one."

"We'll keep that in mind..." Flora said dragging her sister away, before she broke something by accident.

Shad smiled and got his shirt and coat back on before sheathing the new sword. "Okay... now I just need to finish Elise's gift and I'm all set." He rubbed some sleep out of his eyes. "Damn... I'll have to do that tomorrow... what haven't I done already that I can do to unwind?" The prince thought to himself a moment. "Been in the kitchens... training for the day is already done... I wonder if there's a wyvern pen I could visit?" He wandered the castle, eventually making his way outside and into the vicinity of the pens. "So there is one here..." The former ninja brushed some hair from his face and entered, the scent of wyverns slamming into him.

He wandered the pens, looking over each of the lesser dragons. In his research on anatomy of them, Shad had also learned to tell whether a wyvern was healthy or not. "Someone's been taking good care of these..." He, against his better judgement, reached out to pet one of the dragons. It leaned into his touch, almost purring in content. "Heh... you're a friendly one." He noted that while this one was particularly vicious looking, it seemed to be the most cared for of the bunch. He heard footsteps, preparing himself for the voice that followed.

"That's Minerva," A woman told him, petting the wyvern as well. "She's my wyvern."

"She's very healthy... all of these are. You've done well in training them," Shad praised her. "Honestly, I wanted one of these as a pet growing up... sounds silly, but I always admired dragons. People in Hoshido don't half as much, preferring Pegasi."

Cherche's eyes seemed to light up slightly. "You know... I think you'd have a knack for it. It's not every day Minerva approves of someone other than myself so suddenly."

"Heh... thanks." Shad put his hand out towards the woman. "My name is Shad. How about you?"

The woman curtsied slightly and took his hand. "Cherche. It's an honor to meet you, Prince Shad." The red haired woman released him and hoisted up a bag of meats. "It's about time for the wyverns to feed, but perhaps we can meet another time?"

Shad gave her a small smile. "Actually, I wouldn't mind giving you a hand if you want. I'm always up to learning something new when I can." The prince grabbed a pair of heavier leather-based gloves from a peg that went half way up his forearms, slipping them over his already gloved hands. "That is, assuming you want the help?"

"That depends, what's with the gloves? Are you hiding a nasty burn, or are those gloves to strangle your victims?"

… _.What?... This woman is crazy..._

 _Meh. She's not as bad as Reina. Or Peri if the stories are to be believed._

"Nasty burn. I have the gloves full of medicine," Shad informed her.

"Can I see?!" She asked zooming over to him grabbing his hands.

The prince raised an eyebrow. "Pardon my doubt, but you don't seem the kind of person to obsess over injuries. Maybe a different aesthetic, but physical wounds? No... I don't think so. Mind explaining why you're so dead set on seeing my wound then?"

"Sometimes Wyverns bites as lesser dragons can cause vicious burns... " She pointed out, seeing as the bites of Wyverns could be left ot the imagination.

It suddenly made sense to the young prince. "Ah. So, this is less about being interested in the wound itself and seeing if a wyvern caused it then? Well... let me ease that for you quickly. This is my first time meeting a wyvern. If I was bitten, I wouldn't have my hand, much less the glove. I got this from a grease burn." Shad gave her a meek and sorry smile. "Kinda stupid, huh?"

"Oh... darn." Cherche said to Shad. "The Wyverns are very beautiful creatures..." She said sighing, as they were her favorite thing to talk about.

Shad's gloved hand caressed Cherche's wyvern's face, scratching under her jaw. "Oh, I'm not going to argue you there... Well, not in the way one might expect. Everything has its own charm, and wyverns are no different. It all comes down to tastes. And honestly?" He took his hand back, opting to grab some meat from the bag. "I'm with you all the way there." He tossed the meat into the air, Minerva snapping it up with a slight purr. "Dragons are such amazing creatures... I read once that wyverns aren't the only ones, but there aren't many other breeds left thanks to humans. It's honestly kind of sad..." The prince took another piece of meat from the bag, giving another wyvern a few scratches before repeating the same throw. "Yeah, they're big. Hard to control. But they're more loyal than anything if you take the time to train them. I mean, look at these guys."

The wyvern he just finished with huffed as it leaned down, smelling Shad. It backed away from Shad, seeing it smelled something else on him. "Wow... that's a first..." Cherche said to Shad seeing the beast back off.

The prince tilted his head in confusion. "Is it? I've never seen a wyvern, much less been the same room as one, so my conception on what the norm is probably isn't as good as it should be. Anyway..." Shad fed another wyvern as he spoke. "Do you think we just climbed on wyverns and they let us fight on them? No. It took time, patience to train them. What makes other dragons so different?" The prince let out a laugh. "Sorry... rambling again... There anything you want to say now that I've stopped running my mouth, Cherche?"

"Oh, right! How long have you been near any Wyverns in the pat?" She asked Shad, wondering if the fear of the Wyvern has something to do with him.

"Not long. I came in just a few minutes before you did while exploring." The prince tossed another slab of meat to the lesser dragons.

"So... no Wyvern's in Hoshido? No unsightly marks that you have on you? " She asked Shad, seeing Wyvern's don't usually back off.

"Nope. Just winged horses and giant birds. But there isn't anything else outside my burn... well, and a scar on my torso, but that's it."

"G-Giant Birds?" She asked, blinking in confusion. "You rode giant birds to battle?" She continued.

Shad gave her an odd look. "Did they not have kinshi in your home realm? They're basically griffins without the lion torso."

Cheche's eyes widened hearing that. "….. MY LIFE HAS BEEN A LIE!" Cherche cried out running away from the pen.

Shad blinked twice. "Uh... what?"

 _ **C support achieved!**_

Shad left the pens after he finished feeding the dragons, suddenly realizing he had nothing to do again. "Damn it... now what? I could go for a nap, but there's no where I can really go outside of my room..." His eyes fell to the forest and he grinned. "Yeah... that could work." He strolled in, taking in the scents and sounds as he walked through the labyrinth of trees and green.

"Umm Excuse me?" A semi- gentle voice spoke to Shad, stopping him in his tracks.

The moment his eyes glanced over her, five words poured from his mouth. "Are you related to Azura?" Shad wasn't wrong to ask that, what with Lilith's similar blue hair and overall structure, even if Azura was a fair bit taller.

"Hmm? Oh no, there is no connection between us... " She said trying to hide her eyes from the former Ninja.

"Bull." Shad's words strike like a barb.

Lilith said to Shad, as she played with her apron. "That was very rude..."

The prince rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry... it's been an exhausting few days. Head to mouth filter isn't that good right now. But what I said still holds. That hair, that facial structure, and those eyes? I'm sorry, but there is no way you aren't lying through your teeth."

"…... The same thing can said about your origin..." She said under her breath.

Shad looked at her confused. "What are you talking about? Damon knocked me and I got brought back here."

"You're marked..." Lilith explained to the Young Prince.

Shad's eyes turned grim in a half second. "What do you know about this?" He held up his right hand, not daring to remove the glove. "I keep hearing about how bad it is, how it brands me some kind of monster. And you know what? It does. But never, not once has anyone been able to explain it until yesterday. It's some mark from a dead dragon, right? Then why do I have it?!"

"That's the mark of Grima... You're a... very unique 'Man'..." She explained quickly grabbing his hand, removing his glove and viewing his mark. "Magic travels through these veins like a powerful conductor... Harnessing it... able to shift in to a great winged _**Wyrm..."**_ She said moving her thumbs around the mark.

Shad pulled his hand back. "Thanks, but no thanks. That... _thing_ has been torturing me and my loved ones my whole life. I'm not about to let it out and be forced to kill everyone."

"It's a tool, nothing else... But if you're not careful, you yourself can become a tool..." She warned him.

Shad pulled his glove back on and slammed down his rage. "I am no man's tool. And I'll die before I become one. I _help_ who I want. Never serve them as a mere... object or puppet."

"Do you know who your father is?" She asked in a serious tone.

"No. It clearly isn't Sumeragi or Garon, but in all honesty? I could care less." Shad's eyes burned with a previously untapped rage. "Both have been more of a father to me than whatever bastard sired me, and Sumeragi _died_ before I could even meet him! And I will fight on behalf of my family. Not some man who didn't even care enough to keep me around."

Lilith seemed startled about that answer. "...Oh... I see." She said giving him a nod.

Shad kept his rage down enough that his tone wasn't hostile with his question. "Why did you follow me out here? Was it just to tell me that, or was there some other reason?" His breathing finally started to calm down as his mind cleared of rage.

"I just realized that there was something... off about you and went to investigate... I apologize if I offended..." She bowed her head in respect to Prince Shad's authority.

Shad waved it off. "It's fine. I've never really cared so much about my heritage so much as my past. This thing on my hand? I do _not_ like talking about it. And, not even knowing your name, I doubt you'd be able to tell as much."

"Sometimes knowing your past, helps to know who you really are..." Lilith said as she turned around to look up in to the blue sky.

"Well, I know three things." Shad started to tick them off his fingers as he lied against a tree. "I'm a prince of either one of these two powers or some hidden third one; Garon and Sumeragi did not sire me; and I'm just as much a monster as my father is or was." His mind started to grow foggy as sleep began to take him. "But, whatever the case, I already know my fate. I'll spend my time avoiding killing the people I love and helping them in any way I can."

"What about your brother?" Lilith asked him, knowing if he knew what he was.

"People say he's the Prince of Nohr, even though I've been taught he's the prince of Hoshido. If it comes down to it, I doubt he'll raise his sword to either side. And neither will I."

"….." Lilith smiled as she still had her back turned to the Prince. "Then I wish you two the best of luck..." She said to him, as she slowly walked off. Shad thought that Lilith knew a lot more than her time or had some sort of secret information withheld. But pushing her for the information seemed like the worst idea possibly at the moment. While there was legitimate reason for it (who knows what it is or why she isn't saying) it all boiled down to the fact he simply was too tired to care at the moment.

(Line break)

 _ **A few hours later...**_

Something sniffing at his face and hot air on his cheek forced Shad to stir, letting out a loud yawn as he stretched out. "Damn, that was a good nap..." He mumbled as his brain restarted. It took him a moment to notice the literally kill a man sized rabbit staring him down. While his first instinct was to draw his weapon, the animal didn't immediately maul him to death. "… You're a big one..." That's when he noticed the armor on it. "You're not by any chance someone's pet or something, are you?" The creature headbutted him, forcing the breath from his lungs.

"Do not equate a taguel to a common pet," it growled, an unamused look in its eyes.

Shad took a few deep gulps of air before he dared to respond. "First of all, that hurt like hell... second of all, I'm sorry. Third of all, who and what is a taguel?" The creature lit up for a few seconds before changing into a woman with rabbit features. "You... really remind me of a more serious kitsune. Only you're a rabbit."

"You're... that man spawn's... brother, aren't you?" She asked, seeing Demon called her bunny rabbit... a lot.

Shad sighed and picked himself off the ground. "Yep... sorry if he, and by extension at this point I, offended you. I've just never seen a person turn into a rabbit of all things, but you seem pretty strong as one anyway."

"The Last of my kind, so yeah...I am the strongest in your assessment." She huffed out.

Shad frowned at her and tilted his head. "The last one? Don't tell me..." He let out a growl. "I'm sorry for your loss. And if I could, I'd help you track every bastard down."

"You're a lot more... sensitive that your brother was..." She said with an uneasy tone, seeing Demon set her off, compared to Shad who seemed to make her more at ease.

"I know how it feels to be on the receiving end of ridicule. I _know_ how bad humans can be, and trust me... I am ashamed to be one more often than not. _Especially_ when we look down on another race because they're stronger or look even a little different than us." Shad's eyes were boiling with rage, having to force himself to calm down to continue to talk.

"Well you might want to talk to the man-spawn, when he returns...we had a... 'disagreement'…. And it got physical." She growled a bit.

Shad wanted to be mad at her, but he honestly couldn't blame her. "I'll see what I can do. But I don't know him, so I can't make any promises."

"Do you want to know what happened?" She sighed, seeing that he should at least get the full story.

"As much as I want to say 'yes,' I'm afraid I will literally lose it if I get confirmation on what happened. But, let me take a guess. Humans attacked and killed your people and ruined your home at one point, something happened that finished the job."

"No, completely different subject..." She groaned.

Shad looked confused before striking his head on the tree nearby. "Sorry. I tend to skim over topics when I'm upset."

"Are you a scatter brain?" She asked.

"No, actually. I'm a tactician." Shad sighed and sat cross legged on the ground. "But yeah. I'm all for hearing what happened."

Panne smiled nodding her head with content. "So here's how it went down... this was three weeks ago... "

 _ **Flashback...**_

" _ **So I was minding my own business training and getting my daily routine, when all of a sudden..."**_

 _ **The door to the training room busted open throwing a soldier clear out the window who was just walking into a wall. "Fee, Fi, fo, thumb! I'm a big Idiot!" Demon declared, while Gaius saluted him. "Gaius! I need you to steal more candy from the children! Bring it all in to my personal annoying vault of goodies which I steal all of Panne's well earned carrots for no reason because I'm a stupid Human!" 'Demon' ordered Gaius who had several hundred pieces of candy stuck to him. "Yes sir!" He said tripping over his own cape falling down a flight of stairs.**_

Shad suppressed a snicker. "Damn... You really don't like people, do you?"

"Just humans, now quiet! I'm still telling the story!" __She scolded.

 _ **Lucina back flipped twice hitting the pole arm to the floor by Panne's version of Demon who was covered in cuts and bruises. "My lord, a glorious day is it not?!" Lucina asked. "IT IS NOW GO PATROL!" He snapped picking her up and throwing her out the window.**_

" _ **Of course I paid no mind to his acts of cruelty, and just continued to mind my own buisness..."**_

 _ **This Demon stomped over to Panne, like a big bully ."PANNE! No more carrots for you, because I get all your delicious carrots and heads of lettuce! You get potatoes from now on!" He yelled at her.**_

" _ **And then I didn't want to take his abuse and decided to shut him up!"**_

 _ **"Your tyranny is done, you moronic tyrant!" She declared punching him.**_

 _ **"Ha, Ha, HA! Foolish Bunny Rabbit! The lack of brain cells in my skull prevents me from feeling pain!" He said smacking her on top of the head, and yanking her ears.**_

" _ **He yanked my ears so I kicked him where it hurts the most!"**_

 _ **Panne kicked the idiot Demon in the balls. "OW! MY AREA THAT MY BLOOD GOES TO!" The Demon dropped to the floor, while Panne stood victorious.**_

" _ **I was about to claim my victory, until he tricked me..."**_

 _ **This version of Demon got back up yanking her ears again and putting her over his lap. "Now the powerful bunny rabbit must pay! Because I'm an idiot who doesn't like to play fair! And a pervert! And a womanizer!" Demon declared, followed by several consecutive spanks to Panne's rear end. "Let this all be a lesson! I'm King of the Man-Spawn castle!" He declared to the others who all bowed down to him.**_

 _ **Flashback end...**_

Shad was cracking up under the tree as she finished her story. "That... I'm sorry, I know that was about an argument between you two not long ago, but I can't help it! You made everything so ridiculous!" He wiped a tear from his eye. "Okay... that's out of my system. So, let me see if I can put this together without the blatant propaganda. Damon comes into the training room while you're there, starts calling you out for your animal traits. You got offended, sparred with him, and he pulled a cheap trick to win the fight. That about sum it up?"

"Uh... What, no! It happened exactly like that!" She snapped and huffed while turning around.

Shad let out a sigh and stood up, patting her head. "Sorry. If that's what you said happened, I'll trust you. At least until I hear something that contradicts it and I'm forced to sift through both to get my own answer."

"And get it from a Man-Spawn?! The absolute nerve!" She said offended, seeing that he'd get 'Man-Spawn bias.'

"Actually... no. Damon's the last person I'd want the story from given his ego. His would probably be more embellished than Takumi's bow skills. 'I don't miss' my ass... but, given what I've heard, hearing it from his end isn't a matter of 'it,' it's a matter of 'when.'" The prince let out a soft sigh. "Look... regardless if Damon somehow makes his story more believable than yours, I'm most likely going to take your word. The bare bones factors are he insulted you, you stood up to him, he beat you with dishonest means. And I apologize for my brother's callous nature on his behalf." Shad took a knee and bowed his head.

"I was humiliated in front of all those Man-Spawn creatures... Hmph..." She said, trying not to dwell on it.

Shad sighed and pulled out a bag from his coat. "Hey, you like carrots, right? Which means you probably like sugar by extension. Want to split these?" He cracked open the bag, revealing a bunch of cookies.

Her eyes widened grabbing the bag and jumping up on the tree above him. "Where did you get these?!" She demanded starting to quickly chow down.

Shad cocked his head in confusion. "I... made them earlier today." Crumbs began to fall down to the ground as she was eating them quickly, it was like watching a branch going through a saw mill if the workers were hyped up on some quick spell. "Damn... and you made it look like Gaius had the sweet tooth," he joked, climbing to her level in seconds. "They any good? First time making a Norhian sweet so I was a little nervous."

"They are sooo good!" She cried out feeling the sensation hit her taste buds.

Shad couldn't help but smile and swiped one from the bag before she could finish them all. "Well then, I guess I'll have to try one myself." He bit into the sugary dough and nodded. "Not bad. Shame we ran out of chocolate though."

"Panne! There you are, phew..." Gaius was out of breath trying to catch up to the woman.

Shad tilted his head, drawing a connection in 'Panne's' story. "I'm guessing you're Gaius then?"

"Indeed, I am, my lord, Gaius at your service...Whiskers, Lucina is looking for you, she said you ditched something about duty or something... I don't know was too busy doing own stuff..." He told Panne.

Shad's eyes seemed to light up slightly at the blue woman's name, amongst other things. "Whiskers? Really man? How the hell are you still alive?" The prince asked Gaius with a chuckle as he hopped down from the tree.

Gaius wanted to say a clever come back... but what he asked wasn't totally unreasonable. Especially with Panne involved. "I... don't know..." He said trying to think of the very many people he has pissed off down the years.

Shad looked up to the tree, brushing green off his otherwise black and blue coat. "You coming or what, Panne?"

"Yeah, yeah! I'm moving!" She huffed out, as she jumped down to meet Gaius. Shad made a mental note to toss something sweet her way if he wanted her to loosen up.

"Hey." Shad placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Ease up a little. Alright? I'm on your side here."

"Yeah, you'll forgive my attitude and skeptism though." She huffed out, seeing she was mellowing out a bit.

"And you'll forgive the lack of sweets in the future otherwise," the prince teased her.

Panne shivered and growled a bit. "You wouldn't dare..." Shad couldn't help but laugh, feeling a slight connection form between him and the rab- taguel girl.

 _ **C Rank support achieved!**_

Shad grabbed Gaius's wrist before the two could go too far away from the man and started to pull him along. "Alright, Sugar Thief, what's your story? You from the same place as Lucina like Panne, Tiki and Tharja?"

"Yep... same place, friends for a while now..." He responded with a laxed tone.

Shad grew a trickster's grin as he asked the next question. "So... covered head to toe in candy three weeks ago, huh?"

"Huh?" Gaius asked, seeing as Shad was bringing up Panne's 'recollection' of what happened three weeks ago.

"Oh, nothing... so... you're an outlaw, huh?" The black-haired prince asked, fiddling with his glove. "Stole from some nobles... a relived a baby or two of their candy?"

"Ha! My lord, I do not relieve candy from the rich and...t...ha ha ha ha! I couldn't say that with a straight face." Gaius broke down in laughter.

Shad cracked a grin and chuckled. "Hehe... you're alright, Gaius. Or at least, you seem like a cool guy."

"I try to please my viewers..." He said as he put his hands behind the back of his head.

"You know... I was a ninja back in Hoshido," Shad regaled. "The training was hell, but in all honesty? It was probably one of the few things I could do there without being judged too heavily." That caught Panne and Gaius's attention. "Fighting is just so... liberating, you know? Same with being stealthy. You have more options, versatility... freedom... no one cares who you are in a fight to boot."

"Well when you put it that way, apprehending candy when no one is looking is a thrill..." Gaius chuckled as he popped in a sucker.

Shad gave him a grin and hooked an arm around the man's shoulder. "Gaius... I think we're going to get along juuuuust fine."

 _ **C Rank support achieved!**_

(Line break)

 _ **A little over an hour later...**_

Shad's ears perked up hearing the door to Lucina's quarters finally open up again. "Thank you again for your time, Panne," the swordswoman said, bidding the taguel farewell after their talk.

The moment the rabbit shifting woman was gone, Shad slipped over and knocked on the door. "Hey... Lucina. You in there?"

The woman cracked open the door, a soft smile on her face. A stark contrast to when she met him a few days ago. "Hello, Shad. It's good to see you. Did you need something?"

"Nothing much," the prince chuckled, giving her a similar smile. "Just figured I could visit my trainer outside the scope of sword lessons every now and again. Mind if I come in? It's not that comfortable talking in the middle of a doorway."

"Sure thing, just let me finished get in to my attire... the armor is wearing thin around my waist, from that last exercise, the sword nicked the leather pretty good." Lucina informed the Prince.

Shad crushed any less than decent ideas and nodded. "Take your time. I'm in no rush." He pivoted and leaned against the wall as she got dressed.

A strap tightening could be heard as he waited. "Have you had similar experiences?" Lucina asked the young prince.

Shad thought for a moment. "Not usually. I've always been a bit wiry. The only times I can think of that happening when I was going through a growth spurt and when I started training."

"They really should upgrade the guard armor to chainmail... If an attack happened those with better grade weapons are going to have an easier time dispatching guards." Lucina grunted as she fixed her cape.

"Well, there's pros and cons to both," the prince replied, letting out a quiet yawn and stretching. "Armor like what you're wearing now is easier to get into and cheaper, even if it's a bit thinner and catches fire easier if not treated properly. Conversely, chainmail blocks more but is more expensive and harder to get into, but also attracts thunder and lightning spells and weather easier. And in Nohr, the latter is more of a problem. Hell, the most fire you ever see is in an opening barrage in a raid, defensive fire from a fort or a mage with a tome that uses fire magic. In all honesty, I prefer leather to chain. Fire doesn't hurt me and it's lighter as opposed to heavier chainmail. Not to mention quieter." He paused for a moment and chuckled. "Sorry. I'm rambling again, aren't I? It's a problem of mine that crops up when I talk tactics and the like or give analysis. Like back at Hoshido when- No! Bad Shad! No more rambling!"

"No, it's fine... come sit, I can have some tea made... if you are in to that?" Lucina asked the young prince.

Shad smirked as he walked in. "Are you kidding? I grew up in Hoshido. Tea was pretty much part and parcel with every meal we had that wasn't alcohol, milk or fruit juices." He almost seemed to glide over to where Lucina was. "Want me to help? I like to think preparation of stuff like this is one of the on- better things I can do."

"Sure thing, I mingled with cooking a bit... though I can't vouch for the flavor...at least it won't kill you or put you on your death bed..." Lucina coughed out.

"Hehe... you sound like one of the onis I met," the prince chuckled as he started to gather some of what they'd be using. Tea leaves, milk, other such things. "You like sugar or honey in your tea? Or perhaps both?"

"Sometimes I like to have a bit of warm milk and honey..." She said warmly, fixing her head piece.

Shad smiled as he started a small flame. "Coming up, milady." He stopped dead on his way to fill the kettle as the last word slipped out of his mouth.

 _FUCK!_

"Milady?" She asked confused, at the slip of his tongue.

"Oh... hehe... sorry about that," Shad chuckled as he filled the pot and started prepping the tea. "It's an old habit of mine... I was kind of impression able as a kid and especially at one point of my life. I tended to pick up speech habits from the servants that served my sisters and mom and they kind of stuck. I've curbed them for the most part, but it crops up every now and again..."

Lucina nodded and smiled a bit, as her head was bowed in respect to his wishes. "If that is what you prefer to call me as, then by all means my Prince..." She replied with grace.

"It's not all the time..." Shad grumbled in mock offense. "I only really did it when I was bringing or doing something for my sisters and mother... Hinoka used to tease me to hell over it. But it was never to anyone else. I dunno... I guess you just have this more... regal aura to you than most other people." His mock insulted face softened as he spoke that last bit.

"From a time yes...you'd be right, my Prince... but the past is the past, and we do the ghosts no favor by bringing up their pain." She said wit a simple sigh, knowing of the horrors and close encounters she had with that menace of the darkness.

The prince frowned as he turned, leaving the pot to boil. "Hey. I know your life has been rough thus far, but it isn't bringing up their pain to be who you were born to be. I mean... look at you!" Shad flung her arms to her flamboyantly, gesturing to the woman. "You practically ooze of nobility! If that's who you were born as, why fight it?"

 _Yes... why indeed?_

"And now I am a simple guard, protector of... wow even I failed in that task too..." She said seeing as Damon was captured on the field.

Shad frowned and took the kettle off, pulling her into a tight embrace. "That wasn't your fault... that was mine. And don't you _dare_ blame yourself for something that was entirely my own fault."

"It may have been you that attacked him... but I failed in my duty to guard him... I wasn't there when he needed me, and now he's waiting in Hoshido as we speak." She scratched the back of her neck.

Shad grabbed a hold of her arms as he pulled away, looking deep into her eyes. "Lucina. It wasn't your fault. Your job was to keep this place safe for when he came back, if he came back. You're captain of this fort's guard. And damn the words anyone throws your way that suggests otherwise. You've been doing a fantastic job. And to be honest... this fort would probably be lost without you. Every guard respects you, you've been keeping this place in better shape than any reports I've seen prior... you're amazing. Don't you ever forget that." He released her, that load off his chest as he turned back to the tea.

"Oaths are something that aren't broken easily, Shad... and I may have had men and women swear fealty to me in the past, but I swore to your brother that his burdens, and enemies are mine." She said to him in a saddened tone. "Which means..." She took a step back drawing her sword. "I still have to defend his honor... Beat me or forfeit... " She ordered her sword pointed at him.

Shad paused, putting a slip of paper on the kettle and heated milk before turning to face her. "Lucina... fine. I'll fight you, on one condition." He drew his dagger from the previous day. A 'Soldier's knife' if what Felicia and Flora called it was correct. A straight blade with black sides, blue runes running down the length of it with a rather large flat, circular guard. "If I win, you have to stop blaming yourself... or, at the very least, switch your oath to me so you stop beating yourself over it so much. Agreed?"

"What about Damon? You are in his castle, what do you propose I do? Abandon him?" She asked the man, skeptical at first of his offer.

Shad relaxed for only a moment, giving her a smile that was warm enough and comforting enough to make it feel like a heat wave passed over her. "I'm not saying to. I'm saying to forgive yourself, or at the very least do what you think would help to alleviate the pain. That's all I want from you if I win, milady." He cursed under his breath for calling her that again.

Lucina took a moment as she thought about it, if this was really the best course of action, or was she letting her passions drive her. "Then I accept..." She said to Shad, taking a step back.

"Okay then... as the Cheve say, en guarde!" The prince got into a low battle stance, holding his blade in a reverse grip. Lucina side stepped to the left, as she aimed her sword for Shad's left flank, swinging in an upward slash. The strike didn't connect however, as the prince backflipped on his free hand before disappearing from the captain's sight.

Lucina's eyes widened as she tumbled to the ground and ducked from any aerial swings Shad tried to get on her. "Impressive," Shad stated with a smile as he jumped back to get some distance. "Almost as much as-"

 _ ***THWACK!**_ *

Lucina cut him off in mid-sentence as she hit him with the pommel of the sword, enraged, while leaving Shad in shock, until it hit her. Blood was dripping from her own hands, from gripping the sword roughly. A look of... regret was placed on her face, seeing as she was having a memory of her own past. The prince gave her three seconds to come to her senses before booting her back, forcing her from her trance. "You know... this can wait if you need it to," he told her, his blade ready to sing again.

She dropped her blade to the ground, letting it clatter three times as the blade was rocking. "I don't know what came over me... I've seen that look in your eye before... like a monster... like Grima."

Shad felt something growl inside him. "… It's okay, Lucina," the prince smiled, glad more than ever that his glove was on. "Maybe this Grima guy just liked a good fight, huh?" He let out a nervous laugh as his hand burned with magic power, forced into containment by the enchanted article.

Lucina flinched from that comment. "A good fight? …...You wouldn't understand it..." She curbed her tongue, clearly upset that the monster that was in the past is long dead, but the scars it left behind were all but apparent to Shad now.

"… Enough beating around the bush then." Shad kept his weapon handy as he knelt to Lucina's level and forced her to look into his eyes. "Lucina. Grima is dead. All of you confirmed it. And even if he is alive... I'd never let him hurt you."

 _If you only knew..._

 _I do, you damned beast. I'm not some imbecile. And that talk with Lilith all but confirmed it. And now, more than ever, I refuse to give in to your wishes._

The prince stood and offered his free hand to the blue haired woman. "Come on. Why don't we wrap this up and have that tea? Or do your oaths suddenly mean nothing?" He hated goading her, but he felt he needed to. To help her move on.

 _Oh... and maybe... maybe you'd like a sudden realization of who and what she's worried about...perhaps you'd like to see what truly scares her...heh...ha...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!_

 _I'm no fool... she's seen my mark. OUR mark. And by the gods... if you hurt her... I'll run us through with that sword of hers myself. You know... the one that left a single damn_ _scratch_ _on us and burned like a bastard for the whole rest of the day? I can't imagine us taking anything worse than that? Can you?_

"Lu-Lucina... can we just get back to our duel and have some tea?" Shad asked, the pressure in his hand building under the myriad of foreign influences and feelings. He pushed his hand a little closer, almost to a point where it would be in her face if she were to look up.

 _I seriously don't know how much longer I can keep holding back without some kind of finality. Please... get up or surrender!_

"Perhaps... we could simply drink tea... and forget this happened? It was my lack of judgment that I decided to challenge you, when you yourself didn't know who you were fighting." Lucina said, as she went to her drawer taking out a bandage wrap.

The prince let out a small growl and grabbed the wraps. "Here... hang on..." He took out a small vial and put a modest amount of the contents on her fingers. "This may sting a little." Shad gently pressed the salve to her wounds, focused on his work.

The only reaction she had was a simple twitch of a few fingers, flexing them as the salve began its work on the open wound. "Thank you very much..." She sighed out in relief.

"Hold on..." He started wrapping up the injury. "Is this too tight, mi- Princess?" Shad faltered for only a second after realizing how that sounded.

 _THAT'S EVEN FUCKING WORSE THAN A FLAT 'MILADY!' GODS DAMN ME TO THE ABYSS! AND 'PRINCESS?!' SHAD, YOU IDIOT!_

"...Shad, I can't be called princess... or grace, or even a highness... my Kingdom is gone, I would be queen of ruins... " She corrected.

… _To hell with it._

"Then any man would be lucky to rule with you... help you rebuild your home..." Shad tugged on the wrap before pulling out adhesive to seal it. "I meant what I said. You're a princess to me. One who, in other circumstances, I would gladly serve retainer to regardless." He stuck the bandage together and brushed off his hands. "There. That oughta do it."

Lucina couldn't stop the smile forming on her face, to eventually turn in to a soft comforting laugh. "….I'll take it..." She sighed. "But only in private...and... thank you." She said to Shad hugging him for his efforts, and care.

The prince felt his heart warm and swell as he returned the hug. "You're welcome... my princess. Now... how about I serve us that tea?" He asked as he pulled away.

"I'd love that, _**my prince...**_ " She smiled, with a suggestive, yet evasive tone. Shad swallowed hard as he turned and pulled the papers off the kettle and milk.

 _Don't... don't kid yourself, Shad. With what you are... you deserve_ _ **no one.**_ _Especially her... not after what you're done to her._

"Uh... here... I put some homemade talismans on the things to keep them warm..." He told her, setting everything down and pouring Lucina a cup first, followed by the milk and honey. "I warmed up the honey too... makes it dissolve faster. I hope you like it."

"Talisman? Aren't these hard to make?" Lucina asked seeing the skillful design on the paper.

"Heh... Not in Hoshido, and especially not for me." Shad held up a few more. "Being a ninja improved my handwriting... have to keep a steady hand and all that. That coupled with my naturally high magic affinity and... well... you get these. You want a few? They aren't much good for battle, but I usually put them on my bed or clothes before I go to sleep. Keeps them warm and they're reusable too... well, as long as you keep recharging them."

"Hoshido... did you know that was our first place to go originally?" Lucina asked the Prince.

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? What made you come here then?" He added a generous amount of sugar and a bit of milk to his tea before stirring it.

"We decided it was easier to stay together rather than separating, and seeking asylum here was the best option as we hoped we could appeal to Nohrian intervention... we had an embassy there, but then a war broke out between the two countries... then the rest is history." Lucina sighed, seeing that conflict here was all too real.

Shad frowned as he put the spoon down. "Well... You're always welcome under my roof, Lucina. You and all of your friends, be it here in Nohr or in Hoshido. You know what? How about a toast?" He raised his cup. "To our friendship. May it withstand all this world will throw at us."

She nodded, raising her glass to that pledge. "To our future..." She smiled clanking her glass.

The prince smiled, even if there was a small pain in his heart. "I'll drink to that. Speaking of which..." He cupped the vesel of his drink and sipped from it, feeling it warm up his body and relaxing him immediately. "Ahhh... Sorry if it isn't as good as you're used to, but Nohrian tea leaves are a bit different than the ones back home. The blend may have come a little... off."

"...Oh Gods... this is... So … _**good!**_ " Lucina downed the entire glass.

Shad felt his mouth twitch up in a smile. "Bah, it isn't that good... not to me at least. The blend was a little off and the tea seems a little... I don't know... bland compared to back home. Trust me, if I had some Hoshidan tea leaves, it would be a whole other story."

"Please, our trade in the supplies of tea ingredients back in my home land was nothing as good as this..." She said holding out her glass for more.

The Nohrian prince smiled warmly as he poured her another glass. "Well, I don't know about that... this is my first time with Nohrian tea, after all. I haven't even started trying to perfect it yet. Give me about... a week or two? and I'll blow this brew out of the water. I'm something of a perfectionist in that regard. I need to know how to do things just right so I can be useful to-" His eyes widened and his mouth clamped shut.

 _Shad... stop running your damn mouth... and get a better hold of your tongue._

"Ne-never mind..." He chuckled, trying to play it off as he topped off his glass.

Lucina tilted her head to the side. "What is it?" She asked the man, giving him a soft smile.

Shad, for the first time in years, felt his defenses crumble before her. And it bothered him. "It's nothing... nothing you need to worry about at least."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Say... You're good at cooking, brewing, and fighting... do you know how to fix back problems?" She asked, in a blunt way, knowing she met massage...

Shad tilted his head in mock confusion. "Back problems? You of all people have problems with your back? I mean... I picked it up in my teenage years but... I'm not allowed to give them anymore. At least, according to Hinoka and Sakura."

"I work out a lot, wearing armor, and the sword creates points on my back, to where bending over sometimes hurts..." She defended herself.

The prince smirked at her, deciding to toy with her a bit. "Oh? So, you work out a lot, and yet earlier you said you weren't getting much? Which is it, Princess? Or is it you just want to see how these hands feel on you?" He held up his free hand, covered by his silky black glove, and flexed his fingers.

Lucina's face began to redden, from both being flustered and angry. "I-I'm not going to dignify that with a response..." She huffed out as she turned around, letting her back face him.

Shad let out a small laugh and placed his tea down. "Okay, I'm sorry... I'll do it if you really want, all joking aside. But you don't need to be so evasive about it. I would have done it regardless of the reason. I want to be useful to the people I care about."

She sighed as she unclipped her cape and undid her leather armor. "Thank you..." She smiled laying down on her mattress, waiting for the Prince to make his move.

Shad felt his heart thud against his ribs as he approached. There was only one problem with what she was doing... "Apologies in advance, but..." He unclipped her bra, laying the straps at her sides before pushing her shirt up and over her head. "I can't work properly with these in the way..."

Lucina's face went red... like a red tomato. "I... okay." She whimpered as her shirt was now off.

Shad cracked his knuckles and cleared his head, forcing every ill desire from his head as his gloves came off.

 _Please... if no other time, then please... just this once... leave me be while I do this..._

 _Heh...no promises..._

The prince sighed and rolled his neck. "You ready, Princess? I'll start on your word."

Her back was a pale white, and smooth, it nearly glistened in the light, traveling down he could see her shapely rear and small crack peeking out, causing him to gulp again. "You...you may proceed..." She stuttered.

Shad let out a stuttered sigh and let his fingers glide over her skin, feeling heat on his cheeks as he felt the subtle abnormalities before removing his hand. "Okay... I think I have a good idea on what to do... Just a warning, this may... sting a little."

"I am... Achy..." She said as her muscles felt constricted, causing Shad's face to nearly go pale white.

"I figured..." He coughed, using a minor amount of magic to heat his hands and arms up before tossing off his coat and rolling up his sleeves. "Is it just your back though? If I'm going to do this, I may as well get it all in one go."

"Legs, back, hips, neck, arms... Thighs..." She muttered out.

 _Of fucking course..._

"Okay... I'll be leaving your pants on for modesty's sake, but I'll make due." Shad nodded to himself.

"Uh but I heard that...skin contact is the best part of friction and relief..."

"How do you know that exactly?" Shad asked nervously, not wanting to get into something that could end bad for her.

"I've had experts before, back in my home land..." She blushed.

 _This woman... is testing me..._

"F-fine... but only when I get to it... I respect you too much to leave you like that more than necessary." The prince let out a shaky breath before placing a hand on her back. "Okay... here I go..." He pushed in with his palm first, immediately feeling her muscles push back against him until...

* _ **Pop**_ *

"AAAHHH!" She yelped out feeling the bone. "That...was good..." She sighed relaxing.

"Please... for my own sanity... be quiet..." Shad begged as he started the more surface abnormalities, occasionally making her twitch or her back pop as a bone moved. His fingers worked her back masterfully, loosening and undoing her knotted muscles.

"Mmmmm! Ahpah..." Lucina made another gasp of pleasure, as sweat shot from her forehead feeling that pop again. Shad ignored it and removed his hands.

"Okay... you may feel some pressure here..." He slowly and dutifully pressed his sharp elbow into one of the worse knots, the mass of muscle giving way almost immediately, while also giving a slight pull throughout her back.

" _ **KYAAAH!**_ " She cried out with her tongue hanging out from the flood of relief in her back traveling up her spine.

Shad's eyes flickered between red and normal for a half second. "Yeah... that was one of the worse ones on the surface... going to need to go a bit deeper now..." He used his strong but nimble fingers to press into her surprisingly soft flesh. "Hey... about that exercise thing... were you being serious earlier or just giving an excuse to get into your armor?"

"I do squats..." Lucina said under breath. "And...running..." She gasped again.

"Nothing for your sword training or core?" Shad asked, feeling her body give in to his touch and relax again.

"That's when I'm out of the...the... room...for training..." She breathed out in a huff.

"Heh... and you said you haven't been lately... so, which is it?" Shad asked with a coy smile on his face.

"I don't know... Gods... Just keep going... you ten fingered God..." She begged as she was starting to tense up.

Shad sighed and pulled out a talisman, placing it on a candle she had burning. The aroma changed instantly, making her calm down. "Sorry... you were starting to tense up... I need you relaxed for this, Lucina. Okay?"

"Okay..." She nodded.

"Alright then..." The prince let his fingers glide over her back again. "Okay... your back is good. I'm going to move to your arms now, okay?" He gripped her arms with an uneasy feeling in his heart. He was going to being losing control if he didn't end this soon. His vision changed as he could see the nerves and bone structure, including muscle movement, before going back to normal.

 _Damn it! I think I might have less time than I thought._

"I uh... might need to continue this another time, Lucina..." Shad muttered, starting to reach for his gloves.

"What...but I'm still hurting... " She pouted about to turn over. Shad's hands held her in place, cursing what was happening.

"Princess, I'm sorry... I really am. But I just... It's complicated, okay?"

"I won't make any noises! I promise! It's been really stressful for me today..." She begged the Prince, hoping he'd stay and finish up.

Shad damned his bleeding heart and sighed. "Fine... but we're going to keep talking about what you said earlier in exchange. If it's something that's bothering you that much that you're having a harder time with your clothes, then I want to nail down what's happening and help you through it. Got it?" He placed his hand in hers. "Shake my hand if you understand." She shook his hand with intensity. "Okay then..." His hands went to work on her arms, feeling her lean yet soft appendages greet his fingers with ease. "Now, let's start with something a bit easy... when exactly did this start happening?"

"In all my years... here and back home... I always had a feeling of… perhaps a bit of lackluster... I was without conviction for a time... then with it, I was happy...then I wasn't...it was the constant switching is when I became so enclosed and reserved..." She began to say to the Prince.

He grabbed her other arm, having finished with the first while she was speaking. "I can relate to that... go on."

"My friends started to get more and more worried...before our fall, Robin especially... to a point. I mean if he wasn't planning for our safety he was fighting Grima at every step, but we always came up short handed... which is why I went to my father and asked to get foreign intervention, for the sake of our kingdom... but both my father and Robin were prideful... they wouldn't take it..." She continued feeling the strain in her arms.

Shad shook his head. "Pardon the coarse language, but that was downright moronic of them."

"You don't understand... it was a war we thought we could win conventionally...we didn't know how bad it really was, until it was too late... we paid the ultimate price." Lucina explained the situation with Shad.

"… I actually do, to a degree." He pressed into her forearm. "Granted, I never had to go through that before, but I can at least put myself in that scenario. If you're fighting something that powerful without understanding of what it is, you get help. Damn your pride, damn your status... if it means protecting what you love, by all means, stick you your beliefs, but pride is something you can't let control you in that situation."

"My Father was the King...his word is... was law, after that last struggle and the destruction of our Kingdom, there was no rebuilding, no supplies, no real army... we just became nomadic and fled the country side... one by one, loyal soldiers began to lose heart and our ranks dwindled from a few thousand to a few hundred..."

"And by the time you got to Grima, there wasn't enough to make up the difference... even with whatever you had to take him down. Is that right?"

"Robin's sacrifice, was... it shouldn't have happened..." Lucina winced, seeing that they shouldn't have lost that much.

Shad could feel her emotional pain as he pulled away from her arm. "Okay... before we continue our talk, I just have two things to say. First of all, I need to well... disrobe you completely now before I can move to your lower body."

"You have my permission..." She said to Shad.

Shad gulped and all but yanked her pants and undergarments off, trying not to stare as he got to work on her lower legs. He continued talking to keep the thoughts at bay. Lucina's lower body...her bottom mostly perked up a few centimeters as he was going up her legs. "Second... um... not that I mind the history lesson, but when I said 'what you said earlier' was more referring to why your clothes weren't fitting.

"The clothes they gave me were...far too big, I had to commission in leather straps, and the straps are weak to sword blows... it came undone and the leather started to loosen up...and a good soldier knows that loose armor, is a losing fight." She explained.

"Ooookay... now the truth, blushing beauty. The way you were saying it earlier made it sound like your armor was getting tighter, not looser. A busted strap wouldn't make it tighter at all."

"…. Please don't make me say it..." She begged the young Prince, to his confusion.

Shad stamped it down as his fingers moved from her lower legs to her thighs. "Sorry, Lucina, but I can't help if you won't tell me when that started and what's lead up to today."

"…..It's well...Okay! Okay! It's Camilla! She's the one that fits the females...and I heard...very truthful rumors that, she is very... very _ **...thorough..."**_ She said it in a way which threw Shad completely off guard.

"Um... pardon? What does that have to do with your armor not fitting?"

"She fits the armor... and I didn't want to be fitted by her... I just guessed my size... and came a size too short..." She complained. "Selena who serves under her as a retainer...recalled every harrowing step... how she was molested in all the right places..." The two shivered just thinking of it.

Shad shook his head of the thought. "Okay... but one thing in your story doesn't add up. When I was at your door, you said, and I quote, 'the armor is wearing thin around my waist, from that last exercise, the sword nicked the leather pretty good.'"

"The straps I got... I just really don't want her to catch me, in such loose armor..." She cried a bit, knowing not her most notorious touch of flesh.

The story made much more sense to Shad when so much of it instantly clicked in his head, but he decided to poke some fun at Lucina in spite of himself. "Oooooooh... and here I thought by 'wearing thin' you were referring to putting on a few pounds by accident." He had a coy and mischievous look on his face as he spoke, pressing into her thigh again. Lucina opened her mouth, but a slight moan, barely audible to most people, could be heard, as her ass started to raise a little more. Shad's eye twitched as he gently made her hips lower. "I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. What were you were saying?"

"I didn't put on a few pounds..." She said in a weak tone, his thumbs brushing up against each butt cheek, gripping her thighs and adding needed pressure to the joints.

"Well, forgive me for thinking otherwise, but with you saying something about exercise and your armor not fitting right, my mind jumped to that immediately," Shad smirked as he started to finish up her legs. "Would've helped you slim down if you-"

Lucina gripped his hands, moving it to her thighs, moving his fingers underneath to her front. "Right there..." She said to the Prince. His instincts flared and he could feel his magic begin to change him.

 _ **NO!**_

Shad yanked his hands back, barely keeping his newly formed claws from touching her alabaster skin. "That's... somewhere only your future lover should massage, Princess... sorry, but I can't in good conscious do that..."

"Future... lover? Shad..." She sighed, in a heavy huff, hearing that from him as she remained still for a few moments.

He took a few deep gulps of air, his features receding and disappearing as he calmed himself. "Lucina... you were guiding my hands to the other side of your body... I'm not trying to accuse you of anything, but I couldn't bear the thought of my hands defiling you, with or without your permission. Even if it wasn't what you intended."

"… You know you stripped me of everything... so why not, I was allowing you access to something this...in hopes for you to help me be hap-"

"Stop..." Shad let out a low growl, forcing his instincts down again. "I don't... you don't... Lucina..." It killed Shad to reject her advances, but he couldn't take advantage of her like that. "You're hurt... I get that... you want to be happy... I also get that. But trust me, if you knew who I really was... you'd want me dead on the spot."

"Don't say his name... please don't... I'm trying to forget Shad... I really am, I want to forget the past..." She started to shiver with rage.

Shad sighed as he put his gloves and coat back on. "… I'm not naming names... but trust me... please... as your friend... forget about the idea of us..." Hot tears burned at his eyes as he turned from her. "I don't deserve a woman like you..." She grabbed her pillow and buried her head in it, silently crying in to it, as her body tensed up and shivered with anxiety and fear of loss and pain returning to her in an adrenaline like rush.

… _Hey... I'm going to ask for your help once. Got it? Is there any spells you know to make her fall asleep for a little bit? Not kill her, not a coma that lasts for months, just... a nap?_

 _Taunting the heart, and tricking it...is not a good idea fool, it always brings regret and suffering..._

… _I already regret everything. My birth, who I am... what we've done..._

 _If you don't fix this...something... or rather, someone else will... hehehehehehehehehehehehehe..._

Shad sighed and ran a hand through her sapphire blue hair. "… Lucina... I'm not him. Okay? Or at least... I hope I'm not... but I have hurt far too many people that have tried to get close to me... I don't want you to be one of them. When I say I don't deserve you, I don't mean... I..."

 _Bravo...Bravo... I love your theatrics... tell me when is it going to make her accept your apology, and not play with the excuses...of your, not my taste... or no it's me not you... How deliciously savage of you..._

 _SHUT UP!_

Shad, in a move of utter stupidity and desperation, held her close. "I want to... I want to be with you... so, so badly... but you're one of the purest things in this world to me... and I could never burden you with my curse..." However, Shad found out she was fast asleep.

 _Oh I meant yes, Yes I knew a spell! HA! HA HA HA! Good luck of fixing that you silly child!_

Shad let out a low growl and picked up Lucina's sword.

 _Shut... the fuck... up..._

He positioned the blade to stab.

 _Do it...run that blade through... I'll just find my next victim...maybe the Princess...former Princess Lucina... would you like that? Hehehehe..._

 _Heh... you idiot... kill myself? Don't make me laugh._

His gloved hand was placed on the table, her blade's tip at the mark.

 _I'm just going to make you pay a little._

 _Hmhmhmhmhm...take a look boy..._

Shad's hand gripped his neck turning him over to the dresser mirror revealing a six eyed, twisted form of him.

 _You are an interesting tool... but a tool never the less... if our agreement is too much for you...then I will scout out for anotherr worthy vessle...but if you rather than waste your potential...then do it...make me pay a little... I'll just make you pay a lot in your next... shiny toy..._

 _Agreement... Leave for a new vessel..._

Shad let out a mad cackle, his mind foregone by madness.

 _You think you have ANY control over me?! That you can THREATEN me, or the people I care about?! No... like it or not, we're stuck together... and in the end, it's my body..._

 _For now..._

 _So... that being said..._

Falchion flipped in his hand and found its tip at Shad's mark again.

 _Let's BOTH pay for being a blight on this world._

The blade impaled his hand, sending a billow of steam and a blood curdling scream to erupt from the prince, the Fell Dragon screaming in agony in his mind. The noise awoke the sleeping Lucina with a start, immediately noticing her sword a quarter way through Shad's hand, his abnormal features dissolving.

"SHAD!" She snapped tackling him to the ground, her body smashed up against his, before gripping and removing the blade before throwing it to the side. She glared at him as she reeled back her hand and... _***WHAP!***_ A red hand print struck across his left cheek. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" She demanded.

The holy magic of the blade felt far worse with it affecting a stab wound rather than a scratch. "I... hurt you..." he panted, the marks around his eyes fading. "Needed... to pay... to punish..."

"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!" She snapped at him shaking him roughly.

He managed to get over the shock of the wound enough to talk more coherently. "I... I do... I told you, Princess... I'm a blight on people who care about me... I need to be punished when I hurt them... just like with Big Sis..." Shad let out a pitiful laugh. "You think... I had time to eat with all the stuff I learnt between training ot be a gods damned _ninja_? To sleep? No... I tortured myself... because it's what I deserved..."

She grabbed his face and smashed her lips against his. "Shut up! You're an idiot!" She snapped at him. He felt his mind grow foggy. It was doubtful he'd remember that little moment. "You're a Big! Stupid! Coward!" She snapped at him shaking him roughly.

"Maybe... but..." The prince gave her a small, sad smile as he looked at her. "That only proves... I don't deserve a woman... like you... like anyone..." He passed out, the pain in his system too much to bear on his mind.

"Gods Damn it..." She muttered hitting him in the shoulder.

[ **Rank B Support- Achieved** ]

(Line break)

Shad awoke a few hours later with a throbbing pain in his skull and hand. He panicked for a half second, seeing it was bare, the Fell Brand staring at him fully intact. His panic was overwritten by another wave of pain in his skull. "Gah! Gods... damn it... did someone slip me alcohol or something?" He muttered, trying to figure out where he was. "Okay, okay... think... I was massaging Lucina... teasing her for her poor word choice... and then I just can't recall..." He flexed his marked hand. Outside of the pain shooting through him, there didn't seem to be anything wrong. "But what the hell happened after?" The scent of exotic candles and potions finally registered and made his head swim. "Why does this smell... familiar?"

"You're back in my room..." Tharja said to the man. "Just like fate as deemed it... as you did abruptly run off from our last... 'conversation'. " Tharja said to the man, as the scent brought it all back of their last conversation.

Shad's initial shock was replaced by regret and he decided to give her the half-truth. "I... I'm sorry... I had a hallucination and I panicked... please forgive... wait..." Something clicked in his now clearer head. "'Just like fate deemed it?' I mean, I know I didn't react the best, but that's a bit-"

Tharja gave the prince a very... Creepy smile. "Hallucination or startling realization?" She asked Shad leaning closer.

Shad was suddenly weary and decided to shift gears. "Uh... jog my memory a bit. I was just with Lucina a minute ago and now I'm suddenly in your room? What exactly happened?"

"You tried to cut yourself...the Fell Brand on your hand." She informed the Prince, as Tharja pulled out another book.

It was vague, but it seemed to make sense. "Yeah... that sounds right... but I can't remember what happened after... or much before it..." He struggled to get up, the left over holy magic in his body sending a wave of pain through him. Shad gasped as he felt his heart quivered.

"You lost consciousness after you stabbed your mark... from shock or blood loss..." She shrugged drawing a sketch of him.

"It was probably... both..." He groaned as his body relaxed again. "Shock would explain why I can't remember much around the event... but there's a far more serious question now..." The prince looked to the dark mage with an almost panicking look. "Where did my glove go? I need to get it back as soon as possible..." He gasped, feeling holy magic surge again. It was far less than last time, but it still was enough to make his body convulse.

"You are a very... interesting man Shad..." Tharja said drawing the mark on his hand, hoping to get every detail on the sheet.

"Gnh... how so?" He asked, nursing his throbbing hand. "Outside of being a reincarnated Grima with a pension for self-harm and torture, I mean?"

"That's exactly the point...but with a twist. Grima's form is in you... meaning you have dominion over his powers..." Tharja began to explain to the young prince.

Shad swallowed the next gasp of pain. "What makes that so special?"

"Shifting in to the beast of legend itself... The transition wasn't perfect, something blocked his full access to you when you were born..." She said to him examining his hand.

The prince shook his head, not having it in him to pull away. "No... he's been whittling away at my psyche my whole life. Infancy included."

"Yes he may be doing that but he has lost the ability to transfer his soul... he's missing key elements and equipment to do it again... so you're both cursed and blessed to be having that kind of magic in you... you may also experience shifting to be a thrilling form..." Tharja explained to the exhausted warrior.

Shad scoffed and growled, giving the Brand a venomous look. "No... there is no blessing in this _thing_ on my hand..."

Tharja chuckled, hanging her head down low. "Then make it one, as I foresee you will..." Tharja retorted.

"Make this a blessing... Ha!" Shad used his unblemished hand to slap his knee. "The only way that's happening is if I subdue this bastard, and that isn't happening!"

"Shad... Grima's reincarnation isn't your enemy... " She said closing her eyes and closing the distance.

The prince saw what was happening and leaned back slightly. "… Tharja?"

"… Yes, Shad?" She asked as her face was nearly up to his.

"… What is it you're doing?" He asked, slightly unnerved at her proximity.

"Seeing your future... your enemy... And it's not Grima..." She smiled.

"As well and good as that is, even if it isn't true... why are you this close to me?"

"Because your true enemy is..." Her left eye opened and was glowing yellow. _**"You..."**_ She closed her eye and then opened them both up.

Shad was now very confused. "Uh... pretty sure eyes don't do that normally... even with magic... are you sure you're feeling okay?" He pressed the back of his left, regular hand to her forehead.

"Perfectly well..." She nodded, as she moved her hands around his face. "You're stressed... you need to calm down, take a big look in the mirror and say to yourself... I'm in command..." She smiled and nodded at him.

Shad thought for a moment and sighed. "Noted... now... Tharja? Do you mind letting me go?"

"I want just one good look at your face before you get this pretty thing cut up in battle..." She smiled moving her thumbs around his jawline.

"Um... Tharja... kinda freaking me out now..." Shad stated as he backed up a bit, noting the pain in his hand and body was all but gone now. But he couldn't deny, she was definitely beautiful.

"Shhh...Shhhh...don't ruin the moment, darling..." She said as she crawled on the table. "I need to tell you something..." She said to him.

 _DARLING?!_

Shad swallowed, getting a bad feeling from her. "Uh... okay... I'm listening..." He readied his escape, slipping a blinding capsule into his hand from his sleeve.

"Why don't we... figure out how to work your magic together... " She said to him climbing on to his lap.

The prince was less suspicious, but still didn't let his guard down. "Okay... I'd be fine with that... but-"

"I want to see what your magic is truly capable of... to see if I am correct about you... and if my heart truly screams true..." She said with dazed looking eyes, moving her face up to his chin.

 _Gods above, she's crazy... why am I okay with that? But still..._

"Yeah, no." Shad threw the capsuled down, sending a blinding flash of light through the room, dazing Tharja enough for the prince to quickly slip from her grasp and stand by the door. "Tharja... you seem like a nice woman, but I don't just... fall like that."

"Hehehehhe...not so fast..." She giggled, as the door behind him was... gone.

Shad sighed. "Look... I only intend on running if I have to. And so far, I don't. But I do want to talk right now, not... well..." He blushed. "Whatever you were thinking..."

"Oh is the poor Prince of uncertainty ready to make that commitment to himself before he makes any sorts of advances on me?" She asked laying on the table. "Besides I doubt that you could contain yourself for long..." She sighed with desire in her voice.

The prince gave her a dirty look before coming up with an idea. "Look. If you're offering lessons in magic, I'll take them. Gladly. And who knows? Maybe something could come up between us along the way?"

"Good let's get started with the blood magic... take off your clothes..." She ordered moving towards a paint brush. She heard a snap and clothes rustling behind her. When she turned back to Shad, he was right behind her, entirely shirtless and working on his pants. She could see every muscle and scar on his body.

"Okay... as you wish..." He tilted her chin up, a cocky grin on his face.

"Good...now let me get my ink..." She smiled with glee, going over to her shelf. "Lay on your stomach..." She blushed, dabbing the brush in the ink.

The prince seemed to glide over to her and turned her to face him. "Oh?" Shad cupped her chin.

"Stomach...on the table...please... I have to get a magic point in your body..." She said with a feverish blush.

"But wouldn't it be more worth it..." He brought his face closer to hers. "To learn from experience?"

Tharja took a small step back, turning her back to him. "mmmhhmm...how about you do what I say or I draw a pretty pony on your back..." She warned him, about to collapse from the blushing.

"Or... why don't I cover you in a more... whiter color?" Shad suggested, laying on the charm as his hands found her shoulders and spun her around. "That is what you want... right?" He leaned in to kiss her, his green and sliver eyes locked into her purple eyes.

Tharja tilted his head down to her breasts. "ha ha ha! Funny!" She breathed out a stuttered exhale of air.

 _You'll say nothing of what I'm about to do, you scaly fucker... or I'm driving that sword through us again._

Shad continued on his path, kissing the top of her breast. "Mmm... even through the cloth, I can tell..." He stared point blank into her eyes. "You're going to be delicious."

"This isn't my position... when I am in my attire..." She said to Shad, poofing away in a purple smoke, before appearing behind him, wrapping her hands around his chest.

"Well..." The prince used his skills as a former ninja to whirl around despite her grip, tilting her head up with his marked hand while his other went to the clasp of her clothes. "Maybe we should fix that."

* _ **RRRIIIIPPPP**_ *

Her top layer came undone by the slight tear, as she nearly fainted. "Do it you morose monster of a man... claim me... as I lie in shame of my own fear..." She said faintly in his arms.

Shad's eyes glanced to the wall and went for the kill. He leaned in close, his lips a hair's breadth from hers and whispered... "No..." He gently released her, tossing his coat over her bare breasts to keep himself from losing control. "Sorry, Tharja, but I meant what I said." He tilted her chin up. "I don't jump into relationships."

"Who's talking about relationships, Darling? Besides you're only about to hit support B..." She said to Shad.

"Cute... you came up with little names for the relationship stages..." He brought himself close to her ear and whispered. "Almost as cute as you."

"Why don't you sink your insurance and save with me... I'll be your one true love... As long as I get to follow you wherever you go..." She said to the man.

The prince shook his head and started getting dressed. "Sorry... can't. At least..." He stared at the Fell Brand, all six eyes staring back at him. "Not until I get this on lock. And even then... why do you think I deserve a beauty like you?" He gave her a sad yet cocky grin and opened the door. "I'll see you sometime soon for _tome_ lessons, Tharja. By the way, you really need to work on your concentration under pressure..." He snapped his fingers, breaking his illusion and revealing she was fully clothed, as well as him.

"Clever boy..." The dark mage said to the man as he left the room, a loving smile on her face.

[ **Rank B support achieved!** ]

"Now then..." Shad sighed as he looked out the window. It was approaching dusk. "Not much time left... have to get everything ready for tomorrow..." He rushed to the smithy, plans rushing through his head as he descended. "I just pray to the gods this works..."

(Line Break)

 _ **The next day...**_

Shad drummed his fingers of the banquet hall table of the Northern Fortress. "Come on, Father... you promised you'd have them here by now..." The prince muttered, much to the confusion of his Outrealm friends.

"Hey... is it me, or does Shad seem a bit more... stressed than usual?" Gaius asked the group.

Panne pondered for a moment before nodding her head. "Yes. It's subtle, but his heart is beating a little faster than normal right now."

Cherche gave him a worried look. "Do you think he's doing okay over there? Minerva said she heard him talking to himself all last night and today..."

"Everyone, be silent," Lucina barked at them, her leader persona on full blast. "Shad doesn't need our whispers to add to his concerns."

"Lucina..." Tiki tried to say something to her friend, but the doors opened, Garon and the rest of the Nohrian nobility filing into the room.

The old king stopped at Shad's chair and looked down at the tired prince. "I must admit, my son... you have moxie to request your siblings and I here on the day before we mobilize to Hoshido and rescue your brother... this had better be worth it."

"It will be, Father... I promise," Shad grunted tiredly before walking up to his siblings, next to long side table that wasn't there before. "Xander... Leo... Camilla... Elise..." He got to a knee and bowed his head. "I'm sorry. From the bottom of my heart, from the depths of my soul... I apologize for everything. The grief I've caused you over the years, the horrid way we met after so long, and most of all... for getting out brother captured." A slight look of relief formed on their faces... mostly from Leo and Elise, Xander was a little less angry, while Camilla was still so torn up about Demon being wounded in such away, and she didn't get to him in time to save him. "In light of my transgressions..." With a flourish of his hand the table cloth beside him was gone, leaving four boxes in its place. "I spent the week making these for you. I know it isn't much, but... I wanted to show I care enough about being family that I'd go any distance for you all."

He kicked open the first box, pulling out a staff. "Elise... my darling little sister... this is for you." He handed the staff to her. "I enchanted it myself. It will heal most grievous wound, but better yet? It's unbreakable. I've had both Felicia and Flora test it for almost an hour. It didn't even crack."

"Thank you... Shad." Elise walked up to her brother, reaching for the staff. She felt it's power course through her, making her brighten up almost instantly.

The next box was kicked open, and Shad took out a sheathed blade. "Leo... my cunning dark knight of a brother... this is yours." The former ninja drew the blade, an icy chill filling the air. "I forged this with the help of the twins. It's as cold as the harshest winters I've ever faced, and sharp as a razor."

"This is an... interesting blade, I thank you for the gift." Leo nodded as he, in his own way, understood that in the face of war, you must do what you have to do... though if he killed Damon... that would've been something else entirely.

"Xander... Crown prince, and my wise older brother..." The lost prince kicked the third box open, a spear flying out and snatched out of the air by Shad's swift hands. "This is yours. A spear that rivals Gae Bolg itself."

"Thank you for the gift, I forgive you but... that doesn't make me any less upset about it..." Xander explained to Shad, seeing as he practically helped raise Damon.

The younger prince nodded. "I understand entirely... I'm no less upset now than I was now than when I learned about what I did exactly..." Shad spoke in a grave, hurt tone, but it was clearly not because of his older brother's words. "And last, but certainly not least, my beautiful rose of an older sister... the one I hurt most, both with my actions and my words when we met..." Shad carefully opened the box, procuring an axe from it. "This... this is quite possibly near the apex of the weapons I've crafted..." He handed the axe to Camilla hilt first and, in a shocking turn of events, got on his knees and stuck his neck to her. "This weapon, and any judgement you pass on me, is justly due... I can never be sorrier for what I've done to you."

She grabbed the blade, though the thought of passing swift judgement to him didn't cross her mind.

 _ ***WHAP!***_

Her right hand slapped his face. "I hope for your sake... Damon forgives you, so I can move on." She said cooling down.

Shad gave them all a small smile. "I do too... so we can all be a family again... like we should have been." Before he could continue speaking, a guard barged into the room, panting.

"My lord, an army approaches!" He reported with fear in his eyes. Though the glare Shad shot him probably would have pierced even wyvern scales, the prince calmed himself down enough to assess the situation.

"What do you mean an army? Unless the Cheve rebellion suddenly grew over the past week to get past the border guard, there is no way we have an army on our front door." He clenched his fist in anger that his moment with his siblings was ruined. On top of that, he still hadn't found his missing glove, so the magic was begging to be released.

The guard fumbled with his words for a moment before Lucina took a few strides over and slapped him. "Speak, soldier! If what you say is true, then we need details!"

The guard nodded before speaking. "There's over a thousand, ease, no banner. They're all covered in this purple... mist thing. We wouldn't have seen them at all if their weapons didn't stop shining in the moonlight. They had no archers that we could tell, but there were so many men... I don't know if we can even-"

Shad was surprisingly the first to start barking orders. "You get your sorry ass to the barracks and tell everyone that I ordered every soldier who can wield a bow to get up on the walls. Cherche!" The woman saluted on instinct. "Have the wyverns drop whatever barrels of black powder we have as far away from the army as possible without risking our own walls. But don't light them. In fact, make sure the wood is dampened enough to remove the risk entirely." She nodded and rushed to the pens. "Tharja! You have a fire tome, right? And not just basic fire, things like Arc Fire?"

"Well of course darling..." She said, seeming to appear behind him.

"Without hurting yourself, how far do you think you can spread that spell across a field?"

Tharja paused for a moment to think about it. "How much damage are you looking to do?" She asked Shad.

Shad's reply was instant. "Not much, just enough to light a fuse."

Tharja had a small smile on her face. "Then I can do just that..." She nodded.

"Good. One last thing... Panne. How much weight can your beast form hold?"

"I can lift up this entire castle if I wanted to!" She boasted.

Shad sent her a venomous look, promising pain if she said something like that again. "Without the pompous front... _How... much..._ "

"…...a Few full-grown boars worth... so around four hundred pounds to run well, without any hamper." She said to Shad, without the boasting and grandeur.

The prince pointed to the kitchen. "Leo, I need you to go with her to the kitchen and do what you can to widen anything round and metal without breaking it. But make sure there's still some curve in them too."

Leo nodded before answering. "Got it!" He replied running off.

"What is it you're planning, Shad?" Garon asked his son as the troops started to get into position.

"You'll see... Let me think..." Shad paused for a moment, scratching his head as cogs turned in his head. "Okay... assuming my talismans can do the trick, I think we'll be set." Leo returned with Panne in her beast form, carrying a solid number of more flattened pots and pans. "Okay, let me see those for a second." He got to work slapping Hoshidan talismans on the inside and carving a few small openings into the metal. "Panne, hand me your paw for a second." The beast woman handed her paw over, to which immediately sliced with a thin blade and drew some blood, brushing it over each slip of paper.

"Okay. That should do it... Panne, by now the black powder should be on the field. Plant these over each pile you see with the curve facing up, okay? Go as far as you can without getting attacked in. I don't want anyone dying today. And for the gods sake, _do not_ attack until I give the word. And that goes for everyone else!" There was the slightest hint of magic in his voice that made it boom throughout the fortress without hurting any ears. The taguel nodded and bounded off, the metal plates clattering on her back.

"I'd love to hear your plan... brother..." Leo stated seeing what he was doing made no sense, as he was just gathering random pieces of items.

Shad tried to think of a way to word it. "You know how when someone detonates a barrel of black powder, the wood goes everywhere and shreds everything around it? Well, what if the effect was to be replicated with metal? Those talismans I put on them will make them stick to the ground until destroyed, but it's not like that'll matter with broken metal shredding everything in range. I would have preferred to make something entirely encased in metal and alter the powder a bit, but there isn't enough time. Tharja shoots off that spell to light the powder, and boom. The ground and everyone around it is torn apart, and that leaves the archers and us to pick off the rest." The prince panted slightly, as he took little to no air in during that entire explanation. "Trust me... I used to do the same thing with clay all the time back in Hoshido. This will work."

"How do you know this will work for sure having never tried with metal?" Gunter asked Shad, seeing as he highly doubted that Hoshidan tech could triumph over Nohrian technologic advances.

There was a glimmer in Lucina's eyes. "Trust me, Gunter... it'll work."

"Heh... seems the prince has that look in his eyes... one I haven't seen in way too long," Gaius chuckled.

"I'll trust him... after all, it's a plan only one other person could have had," Tiki nodded, a smile on her face.

Lon'qu readied his blade, a serious look in his eyes. "We'll move on your orders, Shad. Just give the word."

Shad gave his friends a weak but happy smile. "Thanks guys..." The prince turned to his father, a determined look in his eyes. "Father... on my honor as a prince and a tactician, this will work. I guarantee it."

"… We shall see," the old king replied, skeptical of this plan working.

 _ **"I̼̕nte̊ͦr͇̍es̝̞ti̟n͏ͭ͊g͆.͊̿.́͆.͊.̝.̌ͬ t͉͞he͙ ̐w͍̆͟a̡ͅr̀r̍̽io̻̊̂r͖̽sͩ ͊f̼ͤͧr͛o͡m̴ͦ͞ t̛ḥ̡e͊ ̼͚̎ḓ͎ͥḙ̫ad̡ͥ ͚̕k̐i̷̤̔nĝ̞̙dom̫̚ ̑ ̊͂f͒ͫô̳l͂҉l̷ͤ͜o͚wed͎͇͡ ͎hiṃ̀ ̙͋w̰͒i̺̜t̢͖̕h́ͨ ̠ou̩t̤̜ͅ ͣ͡q̸ͪ͒u̚e̓stͣ͠ion҉.͑́ͣ.̟͈.̓̓..ͭ"**_

Shad and Tiki's ears perked at the sound, both heads turning to the source. The only problem was, there was no one there. Just an empty corner. "Is something wrong?" Gaius asked Shad, clasping a hand to his friend's shoulder.

"No... It's fine... come on, everyone without a flying mount or a bow to the front gate," the clever prince ordered, all in question following him. Panne bounded towards him as they walked, turning human as she got close enough.

"They're all laid out as ordered. I went for as big of piles as possible before having to retreat," the rabbit woman reported.

"Good work, Panne. I'll make you anything you want tonight if we get through this," Shad praised her as they came to the entrance. Tharja was chanting lightly, a spell ready in her tomeless hand. Despite being able to see the weapons and even the troops a fair bit, Shad held fast, spotting each plate Panne laid down. "Alright, Tharja, hold for just a little longer..." His eyes lit up red the second there were enough people in range. "Now!" The dark mage cast her spell, sending a weak fire throughout the battle field. But it was more than enough to catch the black powder and make their metal coverings explode, sending a wave of fire, metal, bodies and blood throughout the battlefield. Shad had a stupid grin on his face watching it all. Crackling explosions could be heard across the area from the excess powder as plumes of smoke filled the area with the stench of cooked flesh. "Leo... from one tactician to another, let me ask... how many do you think just died out there?"

"I... One could not even imagine..." Leo was dumbfounded by what his brother just brought to the field of battle.

"I estimate somewhere in the late hundreds... maybe even a thousand if we were lucky. Unfortunately, that wasn't all of them..." Sure enough, more troops climbed over and trampled the carcasses of the fallen. "However... I have a plan for this too. Archers and wyvern riders, focus on the mounted troops for now!" Shad took position over a glowing bit of ground and slit his palm. "After all... they'll be getting here first." He spilt the crimson over the ground and there was a resonating sound, the tarnished ground regrowing as if the carnage hadn't happened. "Dragon veins... gotta love em. Alright everyone..." Shad drew his sword, an evil glint in his eyes. "Charge!" The army let out a roar as they charged forth, with the Norhian nobility leading the way.

The Nohrian foot soldiers and officers immediately clashed towards the enemy strike force, clashing blades and splintering shields as the collision was immense. Xander's main force was still mobilizing at the border, so what force here was all they had. The enemy they fought like no other, as they seemed to be possessed souls of the damned. "Damn..." Lon'qu panted, his back to Gaius's. "There's no end to them..."

"Ain't that my line?" Gaius asked with a chuckle, nursing a wound on his arm. He dodged a strike and struck back with his iron sword, blood spraying at the enemy's death. Unfortunately, another took its place in mere seconds.

It was like a mosh pit, encircling the allied forces, trying to break their lines by sheer number. They had no fear in their eyes, what type of enemy were they fighting? Tiki transformed from her light blue drake back to human form, panting as Lucina struck down their enemy. "Lucina... I hate to sound negative right now... but do we even have a chance?"

"Of course, we do..." A serious glint was in her eyes as she bellowed her next line. "Anything can change!" The blue woman's sword was light lightning as it cleaved the head off another knight, only for her to take a small cut to the back of her shin. "But I won't lie... things aren't looking good..."

A shower of arrows began to whistle in the air as it began its descent on the Nohrian forces, many quickly raised their shields or got behind someone's shield to protect themselves from a volley of death. And while Camilla and Cherche, mainly because the latter noticed and protected the both of them herself, barely managed to evade the volley, many were not as lucky. "That was close... are you alright, Lady Camilla?" Cherche asked the princess.

Camilla smiled, thanks to the assist of Cherche. "I am, thank you for the assistance." The lavender haired princess replied to Cherche patting her on the head.

And then there was Shad. Dodging and weaving through the enemy, claiming heads as he went, but at the same time fear began to take root. These people were strong. Very strong. His makeshift traps were probably the only reason they lasted as long as they had. He faltered as an axe grazed him mid dodge, an almost costly mistake had it not been for Tharja's intervention. "Heh... I owe you one," Shad smiled at her, his sword primed for the next attack as his eyes scanned the battle field.

"Oh... now it's an owing game is it? I'll be sure to... cash it in darling..." Tharja smiled as she got behind Shad again.

While he would normally reply to that, there was simply too much going on. Xander was barely dodging blows from an enemy mage, Leo was struggling to block attacks from a berserking axe wielder, and that's only what he could see. He could hear him men dying, his friends and family cursing and getting worn out... this was going to be a nightmare come true very soon. Even Tharja wasn't looking too good, with blood seeping from a few tears in her form fitting yet thin armor.

 _Damn it... DAMN IT! Everyone's going to die if I don't do something! But what can I do? I haven't started using proper magic yet, and staves are entirely out of the question. But... I can't let them die! I..._

A tear dropped from the prince's focused and angry face.

 _I can't lose my family... my friends... damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! Why do I have to be so damn USELESS?!_

 _We can save them, you know... just give in to your rage... Let it fuel you to save the ones you love... and then you will seize the power._

 _Yeah, and only kill them in the cross fire? No thanks._

 _My power is like any tool... you have to use it carefully, you don't just go swinging a sword behind your lines...would you?_

… _None of them will get hurt by me if I do this... right?_

 _Only if you lose control and attack both sides..._

Shad took a deep breath and calmed himself down, closing his eyes.

 _Fine... you win... I'll give into my darkness... for them._

 _Hahahaha! Finally! Now... claim your birthright and conquer all who stand against you!_

Shad felt his brand's full power flare to life for the first time, his raw magic coursing through his veins as his body burned and contorted, barely suppressing a scream and alerting Tharja to his changes for the moment. Black scales sprouted from his skin, his legs fused into one long serpentine length, and his fingers turned into claws that could pierce even the toughest armor. "Gah... it... it burns..." Shad choked out, feeling his head beginning to change shape too. "It... hurts..." He started to pant, showing off a set of monstrous teeth that would strike terror into even the heartiest of soldiers as his mouth turned into a draconic muzzle. His body began to grow, eclipsing Xander's height while the Crown Prince was still on his horse from what was his waist up, eventually growing long enough to be truly considered serpentine.

Many soldiers immediately stepped away from Shad including his friends and family seeing the vicious transformation, that was claiming his body. Tharja... didn't seem too surprised. In fact, she knew he was capable of great power, but to the extent of which she knew, seeing he had no conception of the power he truly wielded... but now he was getting a rude wake up call. "Shad!" Lucina screamed out, trying to get to him, but others kept her back, in fear what he might do to her.

"You mustn't go closer, Lucina!" Xander struggled to keep her back, despite wanting to help his brother too.

"To hell with that!" Gaius shouted, trying to break free from Gunter's hold. "My friend is hurting bad and in enemy lines! Someone has to help him!"

Tiki's eyes were wide, both with hope and horror as a pair of horns sprouted from the back of Shad's head, circling around before sticking straight out like a halo of death. The prince's barely restrained grunts of pain turned into low growls as his transformation finally started to end as the usual tattoos turned into actual eyes, closed just like the original set, and four feathery wings erupted from his back. "Grima... has returned..." No sooner had she said that, Shad's six eyes flew open and his head reared back, letting out a bone chilling roar and an outrageous amount of dark power that made more than a fair share of people vomit on the spot. Purple light faded as the dragon breathed heavily.

 _"That... was... hell..."_ Shad panted, a bit more of the land in front of him dying with each labored breath. It took all of his willpower not to fly into a blind rage from the pain he had just endured. The entire Nohrian front was in a state of shock, as some of the officers who witnessed such of thing was reliving their fight against it... To them their nightmare had come crashing down on them, while the others they stood in pure awe of it. _"Now then..."_ Six red eyes glared at the enemy around him, his friends and his loved ones. _"I'm going to show all of you... why you_ _never_ _hurt my family..."_ Dark purple fire built up in his maw before he unleashed it in a ferocious roar, sending a dark flame to cascade over the enemy between him and the people he cared about. _"Now get out... of my..._ _WAY!_ _"_ Shad charged forth, barreling over everything in his path on his way to his loved ones, the rest of his length coiling part of the way around them protectively. _"Are you all okay? None of you are hurt too bad, right?"_ The long dragon glared at any enemy that dared approached, promising death to any who dared challenge him.

Lucina's eyes widened with absolute horror, seeing Grima's form...it was a waking nightmare for her, the screams of her long dead friends and family she left behind. No words were said, only waiting for her demise from the Wyrm. Shad's eyes locked onto her, chilling her to her core before his clawed hand lashed out, grabbing a spearman who tried to take advantage of her distracted state and bringing him close to a set of his eyes. _"Don't you dare... lay a single_ _fucking_ _finger... on my Princess..."_ Shad growled hostilely before literally tearing the man in half and throwing the parts at an oncoming band of enemy warriors. _"Are you okay, Lucina? None of these bastards hurt you, did they? I swear by the gods, if they dared to harm a single hair on you, or anyone's head..."_ Dark fire began to build up in his mouth again at the mere thought of it. _"All of them... every single one... is a dead man..."_ He opened his mouth and let out another torrent of dark fire, no longer worrying about holding back with everyone safely up wind of the attack.

 _ **"Th̠͞i͜͞͞s ̐c̾͊͘h̡aṇ̪ǵe̎s..̬̚.̀.͆ͧ͢e̝̤̓v̝́͝e̅ṙ̨͌yͧt͎̻ͩhi͇̖͑n̍g͇̋.͚.̵͎͊..͎ͯ.̕͘"**_

Shad's claws slashed, barely catching a hint of cloth before the figure disappeared. And while the entire Outrealm forces excluding Tharja were having a mental crisis about the man turned Fell Dragon, none had it worse than Lucina, who literally just had her life saved by the very thing that initially ruined it. Twice.

Lucina stepped back seeing what was clearly Grima. "No...this is... Robin's sacrifice, he... he destroyed Grima..." She muttered as she could see the flames and charred corpses. Shad was clearly the one that transformed in to Grima, putting her mind in to a near mental shut down.

Shad let out another loud roar, malevolent energy surging through every enemy soldier that was in front of him. _"Let this be a lesson..._ _NEVER ATTACK MY FAMILY AGAIN!_ _"_ The reincarnated Fell Dragon let out one more torrent of fire and death on the enemy before the scant dozens that remained fled, unwilling to die to the beast before them. Shad let out several loud pants before collapsing to the ground, a purple light enveloping him before dissipating with his prone human body passed out in the blood and decay he had caused.

"By the gods..." Leo breathed, almost not believing what he just witnessed. "That... that wasn't even a fight..."

"It was a slaughter..." Xander finished his thought, in just as much awe as the rest of his family.

It was to everyone's surprise that Camilla noticed his current status on the ground, unconscious in the blood. "By the Gods...how was that even possible?" She asked as she quickly moved over with a few other officers to check the body to see if he was breathing. Yanking him out of the pool of blood, they sat him up next to a barrier of stone.

Elise checked his pulse and placed her hand close to his mouth before letting out a sigh of relief. "He's alive and breathing... he's really worn out though. It probably took a lot to do what he just did... Sha- Big brother just saved our lives... didn't he?"

Xander crouched down, examining the wounded man. "That he did Elise..." He acknowledged.

"Alright... let's get him to the medical ward," Leo suggested, stooping low and hooking an arm around Shad. It was Gunter that relieved the younger prince of the burden, carrying Shad to the medical ward himself.

"Agreed, Lord Leo," the veteran nodded as he walked with the downed prince in his arms. "Gods know that Lord Shad deserves some proper rest after today." As he and the rest of the officers went with Shad to the medical ward, giving thanks to the sleeping man and wishing him well for a few hours until only the warriors from the Outrealms were all lingering there, looking at Shad's prone body.

It was Gaius that broke the silence. "So... Shad's apparently Grima now..." He laughed hollowly, so disbelieving of the situation he couldn't help himself. "Is this some kind of gods damned joke? I mean... Shad is almost the exact opposite of the bastard! And then he turns into some... arguably better version of that monster? Just... what the hell?"

Lon'qu, stoic and introspective as ever, addressed the real problem. "The question is... how much of him is Grima now and how much of him is the man we respect?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Tharja asked, immediately at Shad's defense. "The way he protected us clearly shows he's infinitely more Shad than Grima. Unless you think the Fell Dragon would have put himself through a living hell to save the lives of a few humans?"

Tiki, sore over the loss of Robin all over again after seeing the nemesis of her goddess, retorted with venom in her voice, a rarity for the usually calm and kind manakete. "Did you forget about the fact that Grima killed our friends? That he's the reason Robin is dead?!"

Tharja glared at the dragon shifting woman. "Bite your tongue or I'll cut it out for you... I know that Robin is dead! I've come to grips with that, as painful as it was. But this? This clearly isn't the same situation as Robin. That was all of Grima. All of him. No split powers, no amnesiac vessels, just the man, or rather dragon, himself! And that power? He may not be as strong as what he used to be, but he still could have murdered _everyone_ here if he so desired it. But he didn't. Why? Because he might be the Fell Dragon, but he is most certainly not Grima anymore!" The dark mage turned to Lucina. "Lucina... as much as I hate to admit it, you're the only other one who knew ahead of time what Shad was. You brought him to my room for a reason, after all." Ignoring the shocked noises and shouts at the woman, Tharja pressed on. "So tell me... what is it you think about this? Is Shad Grima simply for looking like the Fell Dragon, or do you think Shad is the one in control?

"Shad... Shad is... he is in control of the powers he was born with..." Tharja smiled at Shad avoiding eye contact with the man himself. "Grima is long gone and no longer controls anything... Shad controls Grima's form." She continued to defend Shad, hoping the others would see the light.

Lucina stepped up this time, as she took a deep breath before replying. "I... I believe that... I really do, but that was Grima, if anything Shad shouldn't transform in to that thing... it could find a way back in to our world and take over his form again." Lucina urged caution while supporting Shad.

While there was obviously initial outrage, the words sunk in quick. "Yeah... guess that makes sense," Gaius nodded.

"He's been a more... bearable man spawn than the others... being Grima should not change him that much," Panne agreed.

Cherche was looking wide eyed at the man in the bed. "He's part dragon... but only a man would do what he did today."

"I can agree to that much, at least," Lon'qu acknowledged. The only one left now was Tiki, with a question that no one wanted to address.

"And should he become Grima in mind and body?" While her question left an eerie silence in the room, again Lucina stepped up, this time was a few tears ready to fall as her hand grasped the pommel of Falchion.

"I think we all know what that means... Like it or not... we can't let the travesty of Grima repeat itself." There was a grave nod around the room, even from an extremely reluctant Tharja. "But, until that happens... and I pray that it doesn't... we treat him the same as always. Are we in agreement?"

Tharja gave them one last thing to think about. "I agree... but answer me this. Should Shad prove me right that him being taken over by Grima is never going to happen, what do you intend to do then?"

"Nothing, he's normal, we don't tempt him to go over to the other side and start burning kingdoms down." Lucina said to the dark mage.

Tiki remained quiet but knowing that keeping secrets isn't in the best interests made her spill. "…..He's not the only one that can shift in to a beast of that proportion..." Tiki informed her friends only.

"Let me guess. Red can do it too?" Gaius asked, knowing there weren't many others she could be referring to.

"A fire... in his heart... I couldn't narrow the size down, but the element he wields is fire..." Tiki began to explain, proving that it was very much a Dragon.

Gaius suddenly stopped caring about that line of thought as a memory stirred from earlier. He looked Lucina dead in her eyes and said something that made the room fall silent. "So... His 'Princess,' Lucina? Care to explain?"

"I- bwuh... What?!" Lucina nearly shrieked, her face going redder than a fire tome, getting a laugh out of the lighter hearted Outrealmers in the room. Tharja, on the other hand...

"Damn blue haired harlot... show you to steal _my_ Shad..." The dark mage muttered, a slew of different hex ideas running through her head.

"Guungh... fuck... that hurt..." Shad groaned as he began to stir, every joint and muscle in his body rebelling against him in pain. His hands slowly clasped onto his head, feeling around his face. "Looks like I'm..." His eyes cracked open to see everyone from the Outrealms standing by his bed. "Oh... Hey guys..." An awkward silence filled the room for a few moments before the prince spoke again. "So... you all know the truth now..." He started struggling to get up from the bed. "I-I'll leave you all to your- Urk!" The moment he attempted to stand Shad fell towards the ground, unable to do much of anything with the pain shooting through his body.

"So, I guess I can't call you Man-spawn completely huh?" Panne said to Shad as she was by his side.

Shad let out a low growl as he tried to pick himself off the ground, barely getting to his knees on sheer willpower alone. "Yeah... but what else is new?" The dragon prince staggered to his feet, leaning on the wall for support. "Like I said... I'll leave you all to your talk." He started inching his way out of the room, wincing with every movement. "I need to get to the twins... iron something out..."

"Shad? Are you sure you should be moving around?" She asked him. "You could literally bleed out..."

The dragon shifter winced as he felt blood escape from him. "Why do you care...? I'm surprised a single one of you even showed up..."

"Because you saved our skins you dunce!" The taguel growled, before cooling down.

Shad had the audacity to chuckle. "Yeah... even when I'm the one who almost took them?" He looked at his branded hand and pounded the wall. "I knew I was cursed... but I didn't want to believe it was this bad..."

"Hey, listen to me. You need to stop, going on yourself destructive path, sit down and listen to my story..." She said to the prince, forcing him to sit on the bed.

 _Oh no not another one..._

"And if I refuse?" Shad growled, his self-contempt clouding his judgement.

"Then I'll bury you up to your neck." Panne threatened, giving off a vicious growl.

"Not to mention there is still five other people you have to go through," Gaius pointed out, loafing in one of the chairs.

The prince felt a few tears well up in his eyes. "Don't. Just... stop... I'm no fool. Pretty much everyone in this room is either afraid of me or wants me dead... don't any of you dare act like you actually give half a damn about me after what I've done..." He felt his magic flare slightly, his eye tattoos and claws forming with the new addition of Grima's horns and patches of black scales. "Or are you all about to forgive the damned creature that ruined your lives?"

"We don't. We care about the man, who commanded Grima's form..." Panne retorted.

Shad stopped, his draconic features receding as he relaxed. "Fine... I'll listen for a bit... but I really need to get to the twins before my siblings and I march for Hoshido.

"Good...so oh yeah...I remember the time where Damon was replacing the equipment for the smiths, moving it to his room."

 _Okay...this one might be more believable..._

 _"_ _ **I was attempting to clean the forge, and get started on the next tools to build, and I notice half of the tools were missing from the entire work bench, so I like a good Sarmatian went looking for the tools.**_ _"_

 _"_ Panne, a good Samaritan?! PFF AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! _"_ Gaius cracked up.

The thief was smacked in the head, throwing him down. "Hey it's my story! I'll tell it the way I want! HMPH!" Panne roared at Gaius.

" _ **So, as I was searching the fortress, until I spotted my friends, doing what they usually do...**_ "

 _ **Tharja was walking on the ceiling while Elise was literally a moving flower bush with pig tails. Panne turned her head to the direction to where she heard a wheel barrow being moved, and it was Felicia in a messy dirt stained apron, pushing a barrow of tools. "HALT THIEF!" Panne declared, with Felicia running away.**_

Shad was quickly losing his patience with her ridiculous story. "Panne..."

"Hmmm?" Panne asked, seeing Shad was at the deep end.

 _"I have had it... with you slandering my friends... and my family..."_ The prince growled, his Grima features quickly reappearing. _"Apologize now... or so help me_ _gods..._ _"_

"Ah Ha! Grima isn't gone!" She declared getting ready to smack him down. The taguel was swiftly stopped by a smack from Lucina. "OW! HEY!" Panne cried out rubbing her head.

"Panne... I get you're hurting too... but if you coping with what happened in Ylisse means you changing this much, then I simply can't allow it to continue..." Lucina's voice was grave and serious, enough so to make the taguel step back. "What you did... wasn't drawing Grima out. That was preying on Shad's already defensive nature of people he cares for. And frankly, I'm disgusted that a warrior as proud as you would stoop to such petty tactics to frame someone who _just_ saved your life."

Panne just crossed her arms against her chest, spinning around on her heels. "..." She didn't say anything but knew when she was outnumbered. Not to mention that the Exalted Princess's words stung.

Lucina turned back to Shad and looked him in his reddening eyes. "Shad, I apologize on Panne's behalf. If I had known what she was planning, I would have stopped her immediately... you don't deserve that kind of treatment right now."

Her voice and face soothed the boiling prince, letting out a long sigh as he calmed enough to make his draconic features dissipate again. "… Fine... I'll forgive you, Panne... I still owe you... actually, make that all of you something of your choice from the kitchen. Well... assuming I can cook by the time I finish making plans..." Shad's face turned to Lucina, giving her a small smile. "That goes double for you, Lucina. But..." His smile and entire demeanor turned somber. "I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't want it anyway... after all, for all you know I'm trying to poison you... put needles in the food... whatever the hell you think your worst enemy would do to you... I'm pretty sure you and Panne are the only two who have ever willingly partaken in something I made, but... I guess it's just like Hoshido again now, isn't it?

"After how I almost killed Big Sis... how everyone avoided me after..." His pupils shrunk as the memories flashed before his eyes. The jeers. The death threats from the very people who were supposed to be protecting him. "All the days spent alone... no one to talk to... no one who cared..." A mad smile started to break out on his face. "Gods! It really is just like Hoshido again, isn't?! My siblings probably hate me again... my friends finally learned I'm some kind of monster... I really am cursed, aren't I?!" He let out an insane laugh, his sanity finally nearing its limit. Everyone was suddenly starting to worry for the dragon prince.

"Heeey you know what usually cheers me up?" Gaius asked Shad, patting him on the back.

The contact seemed to bring him out of it slightly. "… I'll humor you I guess... what?"

Gaius popped a red sucker in his mouth. "Like you had to ask?" He smiled putting his hands behind his back, while the end of the lollipop caught on fire. "Ohh...not in the mood for candy... I guess?" He asked.

Shad's crisis, while lessened, was starting to pick up again. "Oh no. I like candy. I have a terrible sweet tooth. I just don't deserve anything from any of you... nothing except your bla-"

"Listen, Shad where did you need to go exactly?" Lucina asked Shad, obviously worried for him.

The prince was brought out of it a good bit by her voice, trying to focus on what he needed to do. "I have to find the twins... something isn't right with Garon... I'm worried for my niece and nephew..."

"Alright, well I'll take you to them right now, if you want?" Lucina asked him, wanting him to calm down.

Before Shad could deny the help, Tiki and Cherche stood. "I'll help as well," the Voice of Naga declared, not entirely comfortable with helping the nemesis of her goddess but unwilling to let her friend suffer. "I can see if I can help you formulate your plan."

"Count me in too," Cherche nodded. "I'll have Minerva help track them down."

"Shouldn't take long if I help too," Gaius grunted as he stood up.

"You all are mad if you think I'm taking even a single step away from my darling," Tharja said possessively, clinging to his arm.

Shad was floored at their willingness to help him. "Wh... why? Why are you all so dead set on helping me? I'm the Fell Dragon... I ruined your lives... and yet not a single one of you wishes ill of me? I... I'm dreaming... aren't I? I have to be... no one has ever wanted to help me after finding out what I am..." He shook his head. "No... there isn't enough time now anyways... spent too long talking..." He looked to them all with pleading eyes. "Please... if you all really care about me as much as you say you do, you need to get Flora, Felicia and their children to..." He took a map of Hoshido from his pocket and marked a spot on it. "Here. Damon and I will meet up with you not long after, but I... I can't let him get hurt again... can't let them get hurt either."

"Wait, what's going on Shad?" Lucina asked the young Prince.

Shad stood and stumbled slightly before correcting his footing. "Lucina... please... don't make me beg any more than I already have. Just... if you really trust me, do as I say. I can't say any more than that."

There was a moment of silence before Lucina responded. "...I trust you, we'll do our best, but one question? What if they don't believe us?" She asked Shad.

"That my brother Damon is going to be hurt if they don't. And it will be their fault." The former ninja faltered, leaning against the doorframe.

"But taking their kids too?" Lucina asked.

"Heh... it's those two little brats that are the biggest concern... Please... just tell them Damon and their children are in danger, okay?"

"….Alright." Lucina nodded, ready to execute the plan of action.

Tharja grabbed his sleeve before he could leave. "Wait..." She pushed a tome into his hands, bound in black letters with the words 'Le Grimoire' printed in gold at the top. "This book contains the spell Amnesia as well as a few other beginner spells and a couple higher leveled ones. It makes everyone outside a ten foot radius and within a one hundred foot radius forget up to the last three minutes from when the spell is cast and stuns them for around ten. It's a single use spell in Ylisse, but assuming my experiments finally succeeded... you should be able to use it far more."

"Do you think that'll come down to your spells?" Hearing that Shad paused to think about it.

"I... don't have my scrolls... I was banned from using them at one point..." Shad confessed. "Talismans are all I'm allowed to do now. This tome is the closest I've had to a proper magic foci in years."

Lucina took the tome. "Hopefully it won't come to that..." She stated seeing as, using spells against Nohrians were the last thing she wanted to do.

Tharja snatched it back and handed the book back to Shad. "He won't be using it against them."

Elise busted in to see Shad. "Come on Shad, we're going to save big brother!" Elise complained.

"One sec, little sis! Just saying bye to my-" He was forced to his knees by a surge of pain. "Ow... I hope I heal up on the way..." The prince slipped Lucina a talisman and leaned into her as she helped him up. "Place it on a wall if you need a quick exit and take cover... see you soon, Princess."

Elise ran over to Shad grabbing him by the left hand trying to tug him. "Come on, Damon could be hurt big brother!" She whined.

The prince chuckled in spite of himself. "Alright, alright I'm coming little sis."

Lucina was blushing as the prince was pulled out, flustered by how easily he was able to get close to her. "So... Shad, huh?" Gaius asked with a coy grin, much to the displeasure of the princess and Tharja.

"Shut it, Gaius..." Lucina said with a fevered blush.

(Line break)

 _ **Hoshidan planes, the next day...**_

Shad skimmed over his book as the pain faded, mouthing out the incantations to each spell he read. "Fire... Elfire... Arcfire..." A thin line of smoke emitted from his hand.

"Shad! Stop!" Leo moved over to the chasm, by Shad. "What're you doing?" He asked.

"Going over this tome Tharja gave me... is it normal for so many spells to be in one book, Leo?" Shad asked, closing his book.

"In some cases, yes, spells are the same as history, recording all sorts of information." Leo explained to his brother.

The slightly older prince thought for a moment. "Same thing in Hoshido, but maybe I should have worded that better. Is it normal for them all to be in a usable tome?"

"What? That's impossible." Leo said, as he grabbed the tome, reading it. "This...what is this? This is..." Leo said to Shad while going over the tomes.

"Tharja made it. Gave it to me for good luck," Shad explained, pulling out his map of Hoshido. "I haven't any idea how she did it, but... I won't lie..." He blushed slightly. "It's touching that she did..."

Leo was quiet for a moment. "I never suspected her of having this kind of power, especially with tomes... this isn't the light stuff either... very dangerous tomes like these can do extensive damage..." He explained to him.

A smile grew on Shad's face as he took Tharja's tome back. "Sounds perfect for me then." His eyes widened seeing just where their route would take them. "Hey, Camilla... we're crossing this bridge near the capital on the way to get to Damon, right?"

Camilla stopped as she turned to her brother. "Yes? Why?" She asked the young Prince.

"I spear headed the development of explosives like I used earlier. And I'm well enough to walk and run again... maybe I should forge ahead, make sure the Hoshidans didn't make the bridge a trap?"

"Do as you wish, just be careful..." She advised Shad.

The dragon prince gave his older sister a hug and hopped off the caravan. "Thanks, big sis, I'll see you at the bridge!" He ran off in front of the march, sadly not making as much distance as he wanted.

 _Damn it... I won't have time for an explosive talisman... I'll just need to pray that this tome works as well as the scrolls in Hoshido for me..._

He recalled the first dozen times he tried to summon something, anything. There was a large explosion every time.

 _If it doesn't though, I'm stuck with the blame of burning that bridge... but I won't let my family fight each other. I just won't..._

The prince pulled ahead with just enough time to do what he needed. "Okay, Shad... make or break..." Visions of both his Hoshian and Nohrian families and his friends at the Northern Fortress filled his head as he approached the bridge. "I can't let this happen... I won't let it!" Shad leapt up and readied his tome, a spell building up in his hand. "Arcfire!" The spell rained down in a wall of fire, enveloping the bridge. But no explosion.

 _Oh, for fuck's sake! The one time I need to fuck up a spell!_

"Oh Fuck..." Demon threw up a barrier seeing how Beruka and Selena was still on the other side.

Shad was initially confused seeing his spell pitter out. "What the-" he turned around and saw his brother. "Damon?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

(Line Break)

 _And that's a wrap! I'll be the first to apologize for the awkward ending, but the first chapter basically picks up from there._

 _ **It showed what was going on for Shad's side of the story in Nohr, and now Demon and Shad are going to be uniting their strengths and powers to defeat the menace off Valla and the true enemy hunting them down.**_

 _But first, and I hate to do this, but I wanted to give a summary of Shad is in this fic._

 _ **I don't mind, and neither will the fans and viewers knowing Shad as at least not ignorant to Demon's plight, and an assume path of the past.**_

 _Thanks man. Anyway, outside of that, I wanted to clear a few things up. First of all, he isn't an emo. He has literally spent half his life ignored and hated by people in ways that were set up to support what they were saying about him; that his is cursed. This has also caused him to blame himself for things a little too much and made him more than a little unstable sanity wise._

 _ **Give him some time of real warfare, talkative friends, and planning for a great future, and he'll be ready to go...**_

 _But that's going to be a more uphill battle. Think how Damon was split apart mentally last version. It's like that but with self hatred and degradation. Especially toward his family and people he actually cares for after the incident with Hinoka. Also, just a heads up, given the length of these chapters, don't expect anything substantial with any of the girls who may or may not show interest in him until the next... two, three chapters. Maybe more. Hm... anything I'm forgetting, Starknight, or is that it?_

 _ **Yes, as the choice system, we're playing things a little cautiously... instead of befalling to ties, if no one can decide on the decision factor, we'll flip a coin, and leave the next chapter in the hands of fate... So in any future events, do not go down that path please, as it could cause problems for the choices in the future.**_

 _Right. Almost forgot about that myself. And you can all thank Temporal King for that, by the way. We were willing to downgrade it to superficial stuff or scrap it entirely, but he convinced us to not do so. So... yeah. That's a thing again. And also, as things are a lot more clear with Shad now, let me ask again; why do you think he can use Grima like he does? Remember, we do a request from the person who gets that right._

 _ **And be on the look out for new future fics.**_

 _ **-DXD (Redux)**_ _Came up with some interesting ideas for this one._

 _ **-P5 (Demon Edition)**_ _Personally looking forward to that one, my favorite game._

 _ **-High School of the Dead [Redux] (Demon Edition)**_ _This one may be a bit interesting._

 _ **-Dragon Ball [Redux] (Demon Edition.)**_ _Yes, there is a difference. We'll be changing up the story a bit._

 _ **-….(Maybe a R+V Demon Edition or Undertale... we haven't really decided yet)**_

 _For the record, I'm totally fine with both of those if you guys want them. We'd really just need to nail down how we'd go about it. Undertale in particular._

 _ **Well that's about it, make sure to leave a review and follow our stories for future events.**_

 _-Hope you enjoyed-_

 _-LyokoDragon15-_

 _ **-Starknight'Renegade-**_

 _ **-Thank You-**_


	3. Broken Heart

The two Princes washed up in a dark forested area, Damon being the first one to crawl out of the muck.

 _ **Second time this has happened!**_

Shad rose up from the river, gasping for air as he followed his brother to shore, spitting out water. "Okay... not my brightest idea..." He coughed, wiping his hair from his eyes. "But hey... it worked... and bonus... we're alive..." The Hoshidan prince rolled onto his back and looked to the sky, panting for a moment before catching his breath and sitting up. "Okay... so... first thing's first, where the fuck-"

* _ **Wham!**_ *

Damon punched Shad in to the mud. "That was for hurting my Noka..." Damon coughed out water.

"Ow!... Fuck!" Shad swore, his eyes flashing red for a second before going back to green. "I... won't lie. I deserved that one."

"You deserve an ass whooping is what you deserve, honestly code morals of not hurting ladies!" Damon seethed climbing up on top of the hill.

"Woah! Time out!" Shad shouted, grabbing his brother's wrist. "Where are you going? Do you even know where we are?"

"Yeah... if I'm right, Azura will be here soon." Damon growled fixing his gauntlet.

Shad nodded his head. "Right... Annnnd you were knocked out and near death last time. Do you have any idea how much time passed?"

Damon's eyes shot towards Shad as he flung his sword at the middle of his feet, distracting him as he gripped him by the collar and raising him with his right arm. "What did you just say?" Damon asked him shaking him. "Answer me!" Damon barked.

"Easy, easy! Gods, give me a chance to answer first..." Shad grumbled, taking out a familiar book from his cloak. "… Uh... yeah... might want to encode sensitive stuff like this."

"You went through my stuff?" Damon asked Shad, his eyes narrowing on him through his helmet.

"Technically, Camilla took most of it when father garrisoned me to Northern Fortress... this was thankfully-"

Damon shook him roughly again. "How much do you know?" He demanded, while his voice was stern Shad could see he was a geyser ready to burst.

"… I want to tell you the truth... but I know you're going to kill me for saying it... BUT!" That shout was enough to stall Damon's next punch. "But... imagine what would have happened if the twins found this? Or Camilla? Or, gods forbid, father... I kept this safe."

"Don't be an idiot, that book is blood lettered and blood locked, no one could see the ink but me...and someone of my blood..." Damon sighed dropping him on to the ground.

Shad blinked twice. "… So... out of all my family, you're the only one who's of actual blood..." He let out a hollow laugh. "Of fucking course you are... why wouldn't you be?"

Damon grabbed his sword and sheathed it. "I have to wait for Azura, and Felicia, they bring me back to camp and then I have to move quickly and save Flora..." Damon said with heavy heart.

"Uh... Azura I'd agree to... But Felicia may not be coming... and, gods willing, Flora should be with her." Shad popped his neck, moving past his self-loathing for a moment to focus on the task at hand.

"What did you do?" Damon asked turning to his brother.

"Nothing bad! I swear!" The light armored prince sighed and sat on a nearby rock. "Look... before _anything_ else, what's different and what have you changed that wasn't in here?" He raised Damon's journal at the end of his sentence.

"I don't want to talk about it, I tried to deviate off course and..." Damon stopped talking, as he sat on a stump, as the rain began to pour down.

 _ **Selena...**_

Shad smiled and looked to the sky. "Oh hey... it's raining... great." He noticed his brother's state and moved his rock to the ground nearby. "Look... I don't know why what happened... happened, whatever it was, but... I'm here for you."

"It showed that I deviated off course, and if you did something involving Flora, Felicia, then their children will suffer for it..." Damon began to say, seeing as he was not in the mood to think about what could happen.

"Damon... I seriously doubt anything bad outside of what's in here already will happen," Shad assured him. "Look... I don't know much about this, but I have a guess as to how this works." The prince was about to go into detail before reality hit him again. "Or... you probably don't want to hear it, huh? What else is new?" He turned his head down, not looking at Damon in his shame. However, his ears pricked as a sound rang clear to him over the rain. "Oh... looks like Azura's here." Damon turned to the direction of vibrations in the ground as he spotted Azura running through the rain, trying to locate the two Princes. "Oi! Sis! We're over here!" Shad waved to the songstress.

Damon slapped Shad upside the head throwing him off his rock. "Sis my ass!" Damon snapped at Shad, while he got up from his stump.

"Damon... Shad... it's so good to see you're both alive," Azura smiled, embracing Damon then his brother, who had just gotten to his feet.

Damon was stunned from Azura's touch, seeing as he long awaited to hold her in his arms again. "Good to see you too, sis," Shad smiled, returning the hug. "Hey, uh, weird question... but did you have a sister from where you're from?" And then he noticed something missing from his brother's belt. "Uh... hold that thought... Damon?"

"Yeah?" Damon asked.

"Where's the Yato blade?"

Damon paused remembering no explosion at the capital... no sword. "```Fuck!```" Damon hissed kicking a rock in to the tree line.

"… Azura, where are we?" Shad asked, pulling out his map of the continent. "Just in the general vicinity." The moment his sister pointed to a certain point on the river, Shad rolled up his map and stowed it. "Stay here. I'll be back in an hour or so." He pulled out his Soldier's Knife and ran into the forest. "Whatever you do, don't leave without me!"

Damon just blinked in confusion. "Riigght..." Damon sighed as he hanged his head down in defeat, sitting back on his stump. Azura sat beside him on Shad's rock, enjoying the sound of the rain as it fell around them. Quite literally actually, since she used her magic to keep the water from falling on them.

"… You don't trust him, do you?" Azura asked after a pregnant pause.

"You trust me any more than I trust him?" Damon retorted shifting his left leg over his right.

"I'm not sure how to answer that..."

"How about beating around the bush and keeping dangerous secrets from me?" Damon asked as he stood up from his stump.

It didn't take much for the azure haired woman to put the pieces together. "… I was about to tell you both before Shad ran off."

"Yeah and fighting the flying fuck of pit abyss land because I can't say the name or I dissolve in to water? That little fun part!" Damon smiled through his helmet.

"My question is how you managed to learn of it in the first place."

"Spooky visions." Damon huffed out. "Been reliving nightmare after nightmare." He added, while looking down at her.

Azura remained silent for a moment. "Do I want to know what they're about? Or are they a part of your visions? I'm willing to listen if you want to tell me?"

"Would you honestly care if I said you were in it?" Damon asked Azura, carefully seeing how she'd take such information.

"That depends. What does it pertain to?" The rain finally started to calm down as the two spoke.

"A few spoken songs, and few broken hearts..." Damon said as he didn't want to do anything to hamper a relationship with Azura, seeing as he failed miserably with Selena.

Before she could respond to that, a loud thud sounded behind them, followed by a series of pants. "Fucking... gods that thing was heavy!" Shad gasped, hunched over and using the pommel of a certain sword to rest for a moment. Damon's eyes widened seeing what Shad returned with.

"Did you just fucking take the entire slab?!" Damon barked, seeing the Yato blade still stuck in the stone work.

"Uh... kinda..." The Hoshidan prince nodded, still trying to catch his breath. "It was a pain in the ass to move... but..." Shad clutched a tome like it was his life line. "Magic is gods damned amazing..."

The Yato blade began to glow and shake, shooting from the slab of stone and flying in to the hands of Damon. "Well that was anti-climactic..." Damon sighed, seeing as there was this whole explosion.

"Yeah... You're welcome, by the way," Shad smiled, finally having his stamina back.

Azura was amazed that the Yato blade would choose Damon, seeing it fire from the slab of stone. "By the gods... Damon, do you know what that sword choosing you means?" She asked, her breath robbed from her.

"Let me guess... I'm destined for greatness, taking out the greatest evil? Going to become King?" Damon asked Azura.

"In a nutshell, but hey. Legendary weapons usually work that way unless they're cursed," Shad pointed out. "I mean you have Raijunto, Siegfried, Fujin Yumi, Brynhilder... the Yato is apparently better than all of them, but it lost a lot of power in dormancy." The former ninja brushed himself off and looked around, pulling out his map again.

 _ **I Know that already...got the whole lesson from Azura.**_

"Well... Azura, is there anyone with you, like at a camp? You know like a maid? Felicia?" Damon asked Azura.

Azura tilted her head. "Um... no. When would I have broken a camp? I came straight here."

"Okay...then how did you know where to find us?" Damon fired back, seeing as she found his body last time.

"I followed the river." It was a plain answer. One that explained so much so fast.

"Okay! Fine! Did you see a pink haired maid?" Damon asked seeing as he was in no mood for turn around questions.

"Uh... 'Scuse me?" Shad asked. "I already told you, she won't be coming here. We're going to her, actually."

"Where are they?" Damon asked Shad, seeing he remembered that the 'may' now turned in to a won't.

The younger prince showed his brother a mark on his map. "There. If they aren't there when we get there, then they will eventually. But given the people on the job, I assume it will go at least pretty smoothly."

"Lead the way, because if I don't see them...I'm holding you completely responsible..." Damon warned Shad as he followed his brother, along with Azura.

The former ninja was unphased as he lead them through the forest. "I refuse that. If my hunch is right, then at least one person won't be there." Damon felt an angry wave hit his mind, he refused to watch his loved ones suffer yet again, especially Flora who was tortured to an extent that she held Felicia responsible. "Hey, don't blame me. Blame time for being such a pain in the ass."

Azura, thoroughly confused, asked an understandable question. "Am I missing something here? Or did Shad have similar visions as yours, Damon?"

"No, Shad went through my... journal." Damon said ashamed of admitting that the little blood ink trick failed, to prevent another person with his blood to see it.

"And again, I apologize. But at the time, it made sense to make sure no one got their hands on it. And honestly man... even with those tricks, some kind of code would have made it nigh unreadable to anyone." Shad's logic wasn't that flawed. However...

"Codes could be deciphered always, I was working what I had at the moment, and back then... it wasn't much so cut me some slack..." Damon grumbled as he moved forward past several brushes of vegetation.

Shad nodded, picking up the pace a bit. "Azura, how long were we gone exactly? I don't want to get there and have Damon attempt to kill me for everyone not being there first."

"Do you understand the pain Flora is about to be put through?" Damon asked darkly, as if he was a shade of the spirit realm.

Shad immediately shook his head. "No, and no offense, but I hope I don't have to."

"I want her to avoid that pain... so it is why I wanted to get my stuff together, as...my last 'vision' I was off my feet for months." Damon worded it out carefully in front of Azura, knowing he can't exactly say he was from the past.

The younger prince sighed, deciding to rip the bandage off now. "Look... I don't know how to say this, but that pain may be unavoidable."

"For four years... I've seen a smile and a look of absolute joy on Flora's face, seeing she had Maximus to hold on to... She never got that chance last time. He was sent to rot in the Dragon Realms." Damon informed him.

"And that's just the problem... I don't know if Maximus and Flora will be there or not. And before you go chewing me out, just... think for a moment. Compare your visions to what's actually come to pass. Is there any pattern to it? Any at all?"

"Some yes, but you were never a factor in to it... or these canny officers back at the Northern Fortress... Including that Rabbit eared jerk..." Damon growled.

"Here's the theory I wanted to say before," Shad continued, ignoring the comment about Panne. "I think some points in time are fixed. There's no changing them. And then there's others than can be altered." Azura walked up to the two, interested her involvement in the visions, seeing Damon had to have some prior knowledge before they met. "Stuff like us getting taken by the opposing kingdom, the scene at the bridge, Azura finding us... those points are Constants."

"Azura found me prior to that, as I fell in to the water, before she fished me out of the mud..." Damon corrected.

"Yes, and you were on death's door then. I didn't say that it plays out the exact same way in a constant, just that it's bound to happen."

"No but there are similarities, to this timeline... very scary similarities." Damon confessed, seeing that it was nearly identical.

"Figured as much. Which brings me to my next point. The variables."

Damon's eyes shot down to Azura. "What's with the look?" Damon asked her, as he was trying to counter Shad's argument.

"In these... "visions"… how large was my role?" The songstress asked.

"Huh? Oh, very large! You were a big help in a lot of our struggles." Damon snapped out of it, hearing her question.

"Indeed you were. But telling what they were you would probably be a bad idea," Shad confirmed.

"No, no, ask your questions, I mean if this time line is nothing like the last one, then it wouldn't hurt to ask? I mean you said it yourself... Right?" Damon asked his younger brother.

"Well, that brings me to my point. There's fixed points and points that are chageable. The key is knowing which are what based on what we know. I for example am a variable. I can _alter_ some constants, but not remove them. Telling anyone what lies in the future is just a bad idea in general though, regardless of intent."

"Well maybe they'd want to know, how much I know about them..." Damon shrugged.

Shad gave his brother an almost pitiful look. "You really think that's a good idea? After how you already messed something up by letting something like that slip?"

"It's not like I'm going to say something stupid." Damon rolled his eyes.

"Damon, I'm not going to pretend to know how this works. But, I can speculate. Taking this to an extreme first, imagine telling someone the exact day of death and how they'd die, but not what leads up to it. The likelihood of them dying that way is going to skyrocket because they'll stress over and try to prevent it. Now a lower case. My entire existence in general made waves in Hoshido, didn't it? And I'm just one person. Now imagine telling someone of a feat they'll accomplish and how they'll do it. The chance drops because they think they'll succeed regardless, but that mentality can just as easily make the screw it up. And this applies to relationships as well. You may have those memories, but they don't. They have no idea how things will work between you, so saying you were in love in another life or timeline just makes you sound like a madman and drives them off."

"Gee thanks for saying that in front of her..." Damon said in a slight irritated tone.

The younger prince shrugged. "Why would it matter. She doesn't know how it'll end up yet. You haven't said anything."

"No but now she knows I have extensive knowledge of another time..." Damon added.

Azura looked almost offended. "You weren't exactly making it hard to figure out," she pointed out. "I figured it out myself actually based on how you were wording it."

"Azura, I am shocked, utterly shocked that you'd say such a disgusting accusation... mm-mm...no words..." Damon said to Azura throwing up his hands in defeat.

The former ninja held his hand up. "We're getting close. Not quite there, but close. I suggest you get that 'vision' story under better wraps before we get there, just in case."

Damon paused giving Azura a look. "You know you could give me a better face than your angry one..." Damon could tell that she was wearing a masked expression.

"… You spoke of trust earlier, but it seems I don't warrant being let in on the same kind of secrets..."

"Sorry love, I tell you our 'past' together, it'll most likely blow up in my face..." He argued to the songstress.

The yellow eyed woman nodded. "Yes... as Shad so clearly pointed out. So, why don't we just take it slow for now? Get to know each other again?"

"Then quit your minor complaints, about my secrets when I know they'll be bad for both of us...after I just recently experimented on...someone... not to mention it's not really a secret I'm keeping from you, only a stupid thing I can't tell you or you'll be freaked out of how much I know..." Damon argued, while grabbing his Yato blade.

"Right... I suppose you have a point there," Azura sighed.

"Apology accepted." Damon boasted, with pride.

Hours of walking through the woods finally ended as the plains near the Border Chasm came into view. "Finally..." Shad sighed, cracking his knuckles and stretching. "Getting bored of walking... Assuming they didn't have any trouble getting out, your lovers and children should be with Lucina and the rest of the Outrealmers." He tossed his brother the map he was using. "There's so many abandoned bases near the border that it isn't even funny. I had them evacuate to one of the ones closer to Hoshido and away from most Nohrian influence. Assuming the assholes from earlier didn't attack them, they should all be fine."

"So what did you exactly tell them?" Damon asked seeing as he didn't know what Shad told the officers at his castle.

"I don't trust father... nor did I feel comfortable with my sisters in law or niece and nephew being in his control. Before I continue, did anything happen in Nohr to your knowledge? Were they attacked the day before they came to Hoshido?" Shad asked, brushing his Fell Brand with his thumb and wincing.

"Pardon?" Damon asked, not sure he meant by that.

"Invisible army... they attacked the Northern Fortress and it wasn't in the journal. Judging by the fact you're confused, I'm assuming this is new. It's where I... well... had my awakening."

Damon immediately knew what he meant, seeing he had his awakening in Hoshido, from the past life. "I see..."

"So... I suggest we stop talking and get moving!" Shad suggested, wanting to be done with the subject of his new draconic form and forging ahead to the fortress he had sent his friends and family to. The three made their way to a campsite outside of a ruined fortress, there was a small camp fire, by a shaded tower. The moment Shad saw a head of blue hair, his smile grew and he pulled ahead. "Hey, Lucina!" He almost tackled the 'former' princess in a hug, relived she was okay. "Thank gods..." The prince realized what he was doing and pulled away with a slight blush on his face. "Ahem... mind giving me your report now?"

"….Well we got, the maids as you requested...but we ran in to trouble." Lucina held her head down in shame.

"Hey." Shad grasped her shoulders comfortingly. "We'll get through it. But we can't do anything unless you tell us what happened."

"….. Garon has his son." Lucina choked out, waiting to see his reaction.

Shad paled and sighed heavily. "Gods damn it... figured as much... Lucina." The prince moved her head up so she was looking him in the eye. "It wasn't your fault. Okay?"

"…. **what...?** " Damon growled out a bit, hearing that his son was now in the possession of Garon yet again.

"Bro, you need to calm yourself. Constant, remember?" Shad reminded his brother, slightly standing in front of Lucina. "Not even you could have prevented it. Something or someone would have come up and taken Maximus. The only thing we can do now is get him back. And, fortunately, we already have his whereabouts locked down."

Damon's mind was swirling around with pain and grief. "Where is Flora?" Damon asked Lucina, as he needed to see her, immediately.

"With her sister in the base," the woman in blue responded immediately.

Damon pushed past them as he ran towards the encampment. "Flora! Felicia!?" Damon yelled out for the twins, hoping to hear from them. He was almost tackled by the former of the two, her light blue hair a mess and tears running down her face.

"Damon..." Flora sobbed, clenching his tabard. "Y-you... you're alive... I heard from the grapevine that Beruka confirmed it, but... I missed you..."

Damon held on to Flora tightly, kissing her as much as he could while hugging Felicia next tightly. "They managed to get most of us out safely... most of us..." Felicia murmured, both joy and guilt in her heart that her child was brought with them. "We managed to grab Anora, but-"

"Garon..." Flora growled, the air taking a bit of chill to it. "He took him... he took our baby boy..."

"I know sweetie, I know..." Damon said to Flora kissing her on top of her head.

Shad, as much as he hated to, spoke up from his original position. "Flora, Damon, we'll get your son back as soon as we can. But, as much as I hate to say it... we have a problem." He scratched at his head nervously. "This base was only meant to be a temporary set up and we have no forge, no food, and, probably the biggest problem, no reliable source of water. And don't get me started on how big a risk staying here any longer than a few days is. If Garon or Ryoma's forces don't find us, bandits and cut throats will."

"Why would Ryoma be hunting us? We didn't attack him or abandon him, to us we fell in the water." Damon said holding Felicia next.

"Not hunting us. He'd be trying to set up shop somewhere around here and stumble on us, and then faking our deaths was for nothing. We'd be forced into picking a side then and there. And then we're either going against our family in Nohr or our family in Hoshido. Same issue with Garon." Shad took a deep breath, steeling himself for the onslaught to come. "So, as much as it pains me to say it, our first priority should be to get ourselves ready for our own role in this war as our own faction. Getting a base set up, recruiting soldiers... I do have one idea that may work to get us willing men and women to fight for us, but it isn't something I'd be proud of doing. But that leaves getting a base, food and water."

"…. No... I need to get my son out of Garon's clutches before I set up anything." Damon deadpanned as he turned to his brother.

Shad pulled his brother to the side, a serious look in his eye. "You really want to do this? I won't stop you but think this through for a second. We have no men like last time. We have had no rest since the bridge. And on top of it all, there's the timeline to think about. Are you really ready to risk playing with the timeline in any major ways again? Especially with people you love?"

Damon yanked his brother over to Flora. "Tell her then... that you want to abandon my son..." Damon said to Shad testing his fortitude and how far he really wants this to go.

The younger prince looked Flora dead in her eyes and spoke. "We aren't ready to rescue your son without someone dying. And that includes you yourself. We act too hasty, too rashly, Garon will crush us under his heel like he has pretty much every other uprising. And who knows what he'd do to your son then."

"And if he stuffed him in what, the Dragon Realms? What then?" Damon asked Shad, knowing that is the first place he sent him.

The reborn Fell Dragon sighed heavily. "Then we better stop wasting time and get to work. Because, with the Dragon Realms involved, every second we spend talking could be another week he hasn't seen you."

Damon turned to Flora, as he knelt down grabbing her hands and looking up at her. "Just tell me love, and I'll go find him..." Damon told Flora, waiting for her decision.

"I... I..." The maid was genuinely conflicted. Her motherly instincts were screaming at her to go find her son immediately, but then again... what Shad said wasn't wrong either. And the fact was, he successfully predicted that the love of her life was alive. Not to mention he saved their lives with his makeshift traps. The tactician's words were almost gospel to her now. But this was her and Damon's baby boy! "I-I can't..." The trauma of potentially losing her son on top of the stressful situation she was just thrust into was nearly enough to make her burst into a fresh wave of tears.

"Yes, you can just tell me what you want me to do... and I'll go do it. What do you want me to do?" Damon asked Flora, squeezing her hands.

The older maid took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, getting the facts straight in her head. And in the end... "We... we need to prepare first," she choked out, hugging her prince. "I want our baby back... but I don't want him having to grow up without one of us either..."

Damon's eyes faded as he heard that from her. "Then I'll do as you say." Damon said to her standing up from her embrace.

Shad sighed, deciding to play devil's advocate. "Look... it isn't likely, but if we found a play relatively soon, within the next week, and worked together on this, we could feasibly be ready to get your son back before the end of the month. But the criteria for what we need is huge. Unless someone knows of a place we can use and we can get to it quick enough, I don't see that option happening. There's also some... _**unforeseen**_ factors to take into account." The tome carrying prince gave his brother a pointed look. "Best case scenario in getting our faction running regardless, we're moving out for the rescue in about... nine weeks. Any more can and will cause problems, Damon. Problems we best avoid when we can."

Damon knew that four years was all Flora was now going to get with Max, as a child... now she's going to have to realize the more they spend here, the older he'll be when they find him. "…. It's just not right leaving Maximus alone... he's...he doesn't deserve that." Damon sighed as he sat down on the ground.

"Damon... you and I both know one of the few truths of this world." Shad's eyes were suddenly grim and full of pain. "Life isn't fair. It screws us all over at some point. It just to happens to do so earlier than some than others. The most we can do is make do with what we're dealt and try to make it better."

"Life may not be fair, but Maximus was supposed to be avoiding all this shit! He doesn't get to have this life put on him." Damon growled at Shad.

Lucina could already see the hints they were dropping and guiding the two maids away so they could talk without as much worry. "Damon, I don't think you get it quite yet. There's things you can change, and things you can't. Max? He's one of the things you can't, no matter what you did or tried."

"…..." Damon remained quiet as he didn't want to believe it... he wanted to believe for a short moment, he could save him from all this.

"You can save everyone... but you can't have a perfect life for all of them. What about Lucina, hm? Were you intending on bringing her father back, or Robin? And Peri. Did you bother saving her mother? Oh, and what about the Out Realmers that your siblings made their retainers? Did you intend on going to an entirely different world just to make their lives picture perfect?"

"My family comes first and foremost... that's always been my intention... _**always...**_ " Damon said to Shad walking over to him.

Shad stopped himself from rolling his eyes. "Right, and leave those who aren't family _yet_ to rot?"

"Family doesn't mean by blood, this country is my family in heart... but he's my son, and I'd..." Damon stopped for a moment. _**"I'd let this world burn for them..."**_

"And it's mine to!" Shad roared, his own frustration over the situation bubbling over. "You think I like abandoning your son, my fucking _**nephew**_ to the hands of a corrupt puppet?! Tricking my family to think I'm dead?! I'm doing this for you! Just like everything else I've done, just because of that sliver, that tiiiiiny glimmer of hope that I'd have a family that wouldn't give two damns about this fucking brand!" Shad's mark in question was glowing a dark purple. "But I guess I managed to fuck that up before I even had a chance, huh?!"

"Why are you yelling at me like I'm the base line for your fucking problems! I wanted to beat you an inch to your fucking life for hurting Hinoka!" Damon snapped at Shad, as his heart still burned with rage as that moment crippled her life choices and she became less worried of getting him back to she'll get him back eventually.

The memory seared Shad's memory, pushing his magic over the edge to reveal his half dragon form. " _ **DO YOU THINK I WANTED TO HURT HER?! YOU?! ANYONE?! ALL I WANT IS TO HELP THE PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT AND I SOMEHOW EVEN MANAGE TO FUCK GIVING YOU ADVICE UP! YOU AREN'T MY PROBLEM! NO ONE IS! I'VE BEEN THE PROBLEM SINCE I WAS BORN UNTO THIS WORLD!**_ "

"YEAH I DO THINK YOU WANTED TO FUCKING HURT HER, YOU AND YOUR FUCKING ANIMAL INSTINCTS, YOU NEARLY BUTCHERED HER! YOU SCARRED HER BODY! YOU BROUGHT HER PAIN AND NIGHTMARES!" Damon hissed his eyes glowing bright red as he clenched his fists.

Shad started to pant heavily, a black toxic magic dripping from his claws. " _ **I never meant... to hurt anyone...**_ " His claws started to twitch. " _ **All I want... is to help you... help them... forget about this FUCKING curse...**_ " Sorrow eventually overwrote his rage at himself, and the man fell to his knees in grief. "You think I don't have nightmares either? Regrets? If I had whatever it was that allowed you to come back, I would have stopped myself from challenging her in the first place. Hell... I probably would have done far more drastic measures... well, if I were a quitter. Which I'm not." Confidence flickered back into his eyes as Shad stared back at his brother. "Hate me and blame me all you want... but I'm helping you through this whether you like it or not. And I- no, we _**will**_ save them. And the bottom line is, you think way too highly of yourself to be able to make clear judgement. Having your son early? Changing the event at the capital?! My gods, it's like you were begging for this to happen!"

Damon snapped as he heard that from him. "Say that... again..." Damon ordered while removing his swords and dropping them to the floor.

"You were begging... for every error since the chasm... to happen." Shad stood, throwing off his coat. "And like hell I'm bending knee and apologizing for my own opinion on the matter. An opinion that just so happens to be so accurate that you're in denial over how right it is."

"All I needed to hear." Damon said before punching him in the face. "Get up and say that to my face again!" Damon snapped at Shad.

"I'll do you one better..." The younger brother punched back, only his had an extra kick of electricity that sundered Damon's metal clad body. "You were fucking wrong. Own up to it and quit bitching about your mistakes."

Damon skid back as he buckled to a crouch, before he straightened his form and head butted him back down. "Hardly mistakes you ass, when I had the fucking game stacked against me!" Damon hissed at Shad.

"Then riddle.. Me... this..." The tactician stood up, glaring as magic coursed over his fist. "All that time... all those years... what did you do to prepare? Outside of having a child early and a little extra training, what did you do that could turn the odds in your favor?"

"I've been storing weapons, dried provisions, supplies, and maps... only I know where to find them." Damon stated to him.

"That right... well... what about the Dark One?" The words confused until Shad elaborated. "After all, who better to find and ruin your hard work than yourself?"

"Right, like I'd openly announce it, he can't read my fucking mind!" Damon snapped.

"No... but you think he can't watch you? Guess? He _is_ you. A fucked up version of you, but you none the less. You think he can't figure it out on his own if he hasn't _watched you_ do it already? And even then, why bring up all this now when I literally had to look your grieving wife to be in the eyes and tell her we weren't ready because we weren't supplied?"

"Even as you fucking announced it, he's watching you, you self-centered twat! All I did, was for the good of my friends and family! Everything I did!" Damon growled.

"I'm-" Shad came just shy of turning into a full dragon and let out a long sigh. "Damon... look. We can go back and forth like this until we're blue in the face. But let's look at the facts. We're both in this together. The majority of the people here trust my judgement, and I'm not talking about the maids. And I have more experience making battle plans than you do, past experience or not-"

" _ **HA! HA ! HA! BULL FUCKING HORSE SHIT!**_ " Damon laughed seeing all the battles and sieges he took part in, the planning.

"… Wanna bet?" Shad asked.

"No I'm just going to let you have that hallucination." Damon waved off his brother.

"No no. I'm serious. If you're so confident, then lets prove it."

"Experience offers more indulgence than battle 'planning', because if experience has taught me one thing it's know that your first plan will always fail." Damon stated.

"Fifteen consecutive victories. Against Garon's men. Lesser numbers, come out with far less casualties. Without the number difference." Shad's gaze was like stone. "Many of those raids were against men using dear brother Leo's tactics. Tell me... what does that say exactly?"

"Leo came in late! I had a hand in all those strategies! My hand drove that campaign!" Damon barked at his brother, offended by the sheer ignorance in his mind.

"Yes, but that's when you got the bulk of your forces. More people to manage, needed more complex strategy and double checking. But... fine. Even given that, I have a proposal. One you might jump for at this point." There wasn't an ounce of joking in Shad's face. "You and I are going to play three rounds of chess. First to two victories wins. If you win, I'll go. You'll never hear from me again. But! If I win, you have to let me plan or advise strikes from now on and apologize for your accusations against me on Hinoka. Do we have a deal?" Shad stuck out his hand.

"I didn't say you have to fucking leave, just know who the fuck has experience in this kind of shit, you haven't exactly been on the strikes of sieges, or feeding an army, and making sure that they've been upkept... I was stressed from the amount of responsibility, and I don't do chess, Leo always cheats with his eyes!" Damon huffed out.

Shad grinned a little bit and sighed. "Fine... fine... look, Damon... it's clear we got off on the wrong foot. I know, I know, I'm stating the obvious, but hear me out. But I really want to help you... to help our family. So let's just... start over for now. Clean slate."

"You owe her an apology... like a real one, not a five year old bs excuse of one..."

"Damon, I've been doing that for years now... but fine. Next time we run into our big sister... your mate... I'll apologize again."

"If you're being haunted by it, then that means you haven't apologized the right way! You find that right way and then I'll let go of her being hurt like that." Damon said to his little brother.

The words made sense to the younger brother, as hard as it was to hear. "… Fine. But, you have to swear to at least be cordial with me until then. I can't be helping you if you have rage working against me. I'm not saying to forget, but we at least have to leave that shit at the door when we make our plans. Agreed?"

"Fine, but you also owe my son an apology too..." Damon added.

"Trust me, I'll do that and forge him a new sword. I uh... for me, making anything is the highest thing I can do for a person to show I'm sorry. I pour everything into my work. Hell, I planned on making you a new blade before I came to Hoshido."

"And slap some sense in to Selena..." Damon added.

Shad paused. "I... I can't honestly do that. Whatever happened with her is on you man, that was nothing to do with me. I can certainly help, but you're the one who's going to need to bridge that gap. Hell, I've never even seen her in person."

Damon paused seeing a faded glimpse of Selena before picking up his blades in sorrow. "It was worth a shot..." He said to himself, clipping on his swords.

Shad pulled on his coat and strapped his blades back on his belt. "Okay... first thing's first, let's get everyone together and talk about our options. Judging by your journal and a theory I have going, I might have a good idea in the works. But that leaves us..." The younger prince counted off his fingers for a moment. "Ten people to get a hold of."

"Where the fuck did the number eleven come from?" Damon asked Shad.

"Lucina, Lon'qu, Panne, Gaius, Cherche, Tiki, the twins, Azura and your daughter Anora. Scarlet should be here relatively soon." The younger brother's ears twitched hearing a faint rustle and he shoved Damon. "Move!"

* _ **FFFZZZZZTTTTT!**_ *

A red bolt fired from a crossbow hit the tree, narrowly missing the two. Shad retaliated by throwing a dagger into the brush, the blade soaring into the bushes. "Show yourself!" Shad demanded, getting his tome ready as well. There was a loud silence before the mage sent a powerful wind spell in the direction of the shooter, the leaves torn aside and bushes uprooted. No one was there, but there was a small amount of blood and a distinct lack of a blade. "… This happen last time? Sans my own intervention, of course."

Damon's eyes looked up seeing a blade across Shad's throat. "Shhhh... you'll spoil the surprise Uncle..." Aynes whispered.

Shad's instincts kicked into high gear, half shifting and biting the blade in half with his teeth and whirling around, catching the woman with his poisonous magic claws. He spat out the bits of metal and growled. " _Who are you?"_

He heard a shuffle while feeling two hands grabbed around his ankles... from under the ground. "Surprise!" Aynes giggled.

The prince's instincts flared again and he jumped up, soaring much higher than normal, especially with the added weight still attached to his ankles. He didn't care and shouted to his brother. " _Damon!_ "

"Plenty of new faces cuz!" Aynes yelled out to the sniper in the trees. Damon couldn't move as he could see clear strings, followed by a psychotic giggle from Erihppas.

"Hello again, uncle dearest," she cooed, an innocent smile on her face.

"Gods...damn you..." Damon growled while he had his hands on his sword.

"Hope you don't mind, but we wanted to take this... complication-" The strings were severed and Anyes was thrown into the madder woman.

 _ **"You..."**_ Shad growled, blazing red eyes that made Damon's look like dying embers boring into Errihppas. Magic oozed off of him as he transformed into the Fell Dragon. _**"You're the bitch who killed Damon's family...**_ _ **my**_ _ **family..."**_

" _ **Shhhh... hear that? It's the sound of my father's approach...sit tight and he'll make this right, no more wasting time, no more—**_ " The group stopped when they saw a glowing light, with Aynes hanging on the tree like a monkey upside down. "Oh lookie, it's a glowing cookie!" Aynes smiled trying to grab it. Shad took full advantage of the distraction and whipped around, using his long length to slam the remaining strangers into the light.

"GET DOWN!" A voice emitted from the light as it glowed like the sun. The light shot out several hundred silver glowing needles, hitting the twisted mirrored children and dispelling them from this realm. Pam fell from the light, with a red and white aura. "That was close..." Pam breathed out heavily.

She suddenly felt herself pinned under Shad's claw. _**"You have ten seconds... who are you, and why are you here?"**_

She just phased right through him, like a ghost, leaving the trails of her aura on him. "Hi Daddy." She cheered hugging Damon tightly.

Shad let out a breath of relief and changed back, an uncomfortable look on his face as he looked at the apparent Father and daughter. "You could have just said that... but I'm assuming you're Pam then?"

Pam nodded striking a pose. "Pam An Sh... never mind... But yes, I am Pam, and I'm here to rescue you." She smiled placing her hands behind her back.

"… Thanks. But forgive me if I'm a little skeptical of the woman who appeared from a ball of light and took out everyone trying to kill us at once. Also unknowns to me... well... not one of them..."

"My bad, these...problem children weren't supposed to confront you yet, but they're becoming aware to our reset..." Pam scratched her head, in frustration.

"Not surprised. One of the men in the Dark One's court is probably me, right?" Shad asked with a thoughtful look on his face. "I mean... one of them just called me 'uncle.' If Damon changing things didn't give it away, his memories probably did."

"It was never intentional to do that... we just needed to make sure that our true enemy didn't figure out what has happened during the reset... but someone has caught wind to it, and they're not fitting the pieces together, soon their plan is going to change, and when it changes, you'll have no future knowledge of it." Pam resigned in defeat.

The tactical prince sighed. "Figures... it was bound to happen eventually. Well... I'm here now. So, I can at least help. That on top of Damon, the new additions and our army to come?" An iota of arrogance was in his new smile. "What hope do they have?"

"Plenty, as they will work around you to find a way in..." Pam warned Shad, as she was concerned that the Dark One is moving too quickly to predict now.

"Let me take a shot in the dark. Killing me. Right?" Shad's words held as much weight as a cannon shot was loud.

"You have a double, that can do worse... quickly replace you, as he is a master of personifications... he's a Shadow." Pam warned both Damon and Shad. "Once he's in... he'll uproot everything... I tried to deny him of it last time and it worked for a while, though a few choices that went hay wire... it ended in destruction." Pam said with a near emotionless tone.

"The Phantom of Darkness, right?" Shad asked, taking out Damon's sketch. "So... this fucker is me then... well... guess I'll have to put off dying for a while then," the prince joked. "Okay... but in all seriousness, thanks for the help, Pam."

Pam nodded grabbing the two of their sleeves. "I'm going to keep an eye on you both, but I can't dally here long, as I'll soon be needed... somewhere else..." She muttered before flashing out in to a bright light.

There was a silence for a moment before Shad coughed awkwardly and sope. "Right... so... grab the others? I'm actually surprised."

"Surprised about what?" Damon asked, with a slight headache, and a spell of confusion.

"The fact you didn't attack them, Tharja." The Dark Mage winced from a little ways away. "Showed some real self-restraint there."

"What do you mean?" Damon asked his brother.

"Nothing... let's just get the others."

"No, no, you started the conversation, be a man and own up to it." Damon fired back.

"Wasn't talking to you~," Shad sang as he walked to the base.

Damon was about to retort to that but bumped in to Panne. "Oh, look what the cabbage patch dragged in!" Damon barked. "Hi Thumper..." Damon said in a low tone.

The taguel didn't even acknowledge him as she walked past, shadowing his brother and beginning to catch up with the younger prince. "Shad," the woman called out, her voice even and cool.

The man in question whirled around and smiled at her. "Hey, Panne! We're going to be meeting in front of the fortress in a bit, okay?" The rabbit woman nodded and followed him to the door before taking a seat on a log.

Damon sighed as he went back over to Flora and Felicia, completely out of it. "…" Felicia hugged him, followed closely by her sister.

"…... I just want our son back Flora..." Damon sighed putting his head on Flora's chest.

"Me too..." Flora sighed, tears at her eyes. "I want him back so, so badly... I don't know what to do though... I want to get our baby back, but I don't want our actions to hurt him either... I don't know what I'm doing anymore, love... I said I wanted to wait to get our baby back earlier, but... it hurts... so much... I don't want to cause Maxie more pain but... I want our baby again... I want our son..." Flora started to choke up as sobs escaped her throat.

"…..We can look for him together Flora...he doesn't need to suffer because of this, right?" Damon asked Flora, seeing she had a choice.

"… That's what's bothering me..." The maid choked out, her sister rubbing her back comfortingly. "If... if we do go to save Max... what then? We have no men, nowhere to hide... we'd be sitting ducks for Garon to take him from us again... and I can't go through that again... but every fiber of my being wants to hold him again... tell him it's going to be okay..."

"We'll just hit back to our camp, where Lilith will just teleport us to a realm where we can hide and prepare... " Damon said to Flora.

That was news to the both of them. "Lilith can do what?" Felicia asked. "She isn't even here right now..."

"One moment..." Damon pulled out a pendent, it began to glow a bright blue before Lilith in her human form was summoned landing behind Damon.

"Hello, Lord Damon," the maid bowed with a small smile. "It's good to see you again."

"Lilith, we're going to need a place to encamp, can you transport all of us to a fortress to act as a temp base of operations?" Damon asked Lilith.

"We're..." Shad's voice fell silent as he came back with the Outrealmers. "… Lilith... been a while. When did you get here?"

"Just now..." Lilith retorted.

"Nice... well, uh... everyone's here now. So, any ideas for a base?" Shad asked, sitting on a log across from Damon and crossing his legs, Lucina and Tharja immediately taking either side next to him. "Damon? Sounded like you were onto something."

"Yeah, Lilith already has something in store for us, don't ya Lilith?" Damon asked, as he leaned down.

"Uh... yeah... but do we really need it?" The yellow eyed maid asked nervously.

"Yes, we really need it, Lilith, it'll mean so much to me if you can get that for us..." Damon begged to the maid.

The woman sighed and closed her eyes. "...Okay then... here we go, everyone..." There was a blinding flash of light from Lilith and the air itself changed. Many people ended up tumbling on the ground in a heap, their seats robbed from them.

"Gods damn it!" Gaius shouted in shock, rolling to his feet. Shad could have done the same thing if Lucina and Tharja hadn't pinned him down in their fall.

"… This is going to become a pattern... I'm calling it right now..." Shad stated as he struggled up.

Damon landed normally. "I should've probably told you there was a tumble..." Damon chuckled.

Panne was mostly unphased, her quicker reflexes preventing the fall entirely. That and no one on her to weigh her down. "I believe most would agree... now where exactly are we?"

"Dragon Realms... the vast emptiness of time itself." Damon explained.

Shad's eyes sparked, recalling his brother's entries on the place. "So... I'm guessing we touch some magic orb Lilith has and..." His words trailed off as his green eyes locked onto the fish-like dragon in her place. "… what is this and why is it so adorable?"

Lilith hid behind Damon's form trying to slither away from his grasp. "Odd, you don't act like that towards most people?" Damon asked Lilith.

"Shad's... different. You can ask him later, but we need to focus. Your brother was right. Just touch this orb I'm holding and the world will form around us," the blue dragon explained.

"Hold!" The younger prince shouted, startling the small dragon. "Idea... and bear with me here. That sphere uses draconic powers to work, right? What would happen, in theory, if Tiki and I were to touch it too?"

"Please... no breaking the fourth wall of this realm..." Lilith begged the younger Prince.

Shad tilted his head in confusion as Tiki stole the words from his mouth. "How and why would that happen? Shad and I would only be adding our power to this world's creation," the priestess pointed out.

"This world is...very unstable, technically using both time and possibility at my disposal, adding to its creation is a risk, but I'd ask that everyone leave before attempting to … ah... 'adjust' my work..." Lilith advised the group.

"We can't," Tharja replied, her usual unamused look on her face.

"Don't know how," Gaius added.

Panne struck the killing blow. "You're the one who brought us here. Do you think any of us possess the power to leave on our own?"

Lilith let out purr like growl. "I mean, after I send you out..." She argued.

"… It's hard to take you seriously when you're so adorable," Lucina stated evenly. "Even that 'growl' was cute... but, you've made your point never the less. Send us off when you're ready. You'll hear no complaints from me." She and the others disappeared the moment the words left her lips.

"Now then... how do we do this? Just touch the orb?" Shad asked Lilith, completely nonchalant about the situation.

Lilith was hesitant seeing as he could overdo it. "Y-yes..." She said with a worried tone.

"Right then. Well, here goes everything everyone." Damon pressed his hand to the orb, then Shad, and finally Tiki. There was a brilliant flash of light as the world took shape around them, a large grassy field that was easily quadruple the size of Damon's last dragon realm. Fully furnished too, holding a forge, mess hall and a few shops in the area.

Tiki fell to her knees, panting. "That... was... exhausting..." She gasped, feeling all but the bare amount of her magic reserves leave her.

"Ngh... can't... move..." Lilith groaned from the ground, a dizzy look in her eyes.

"Geeze you guys look drained..." Damon rubbed the back of his neck, while his reptile like pupil was revealed.

Shad offered a hand to the down Manakete. "You need a hand up?" He asked, a soft smile on his face. The prince didn't bother mentioning that he felt completely fine too.

Despite the kind gesture, flashbacks flipped through Tiki's mind. The battle not a day ago... a few years back when she confronted the beast with her friends... "I'm fine," she replied, hiding her pain behind a smile of her own as she struggled up.

Shad's smile faltered. He'd pulled that look off enough times to know when someone else was using it. "Right... um..." He coughed awkwardly before looking to the small dragon on the ground. "You feeling okay, Lilith?"

Damon expended some of his energy and gave her human form back again, picking her up. "She's just exhausted from trying to compare energy levels." Damon said with a sigh. "She needs rest."

"Right... is there any chance to pull the others in here without her?" His younger brother asked. "I don't feel comfortable leaving them alone any longer than we need to. Especially Tharja..."

"I can." Damon confessed as he touched the orb and signaled out his companions returning them to the place of hiding.

"Woah... and I thought the grasslands of Ylisse were pretty..." Gaius muttered, awestruck at the sight of the field.

Shad clapped his hands, drawing attention to him. "Alright. First on the agenda, we need to check this place out, get a map set up. Knowing the facilities that formed with us is also key but that will be taken care of with the map. This place is huge. I doubt the shops around us is all there is." He pointed to the twins and Anora. "You two, go with Damon. Somehow, I doubt separating you all right now is a good idea. Panne, you look around with Gaius and Tiki, Cherche with Lon'qu and Azura, and I'll go with Lucina. I'd include Tharja in that little order, but... somehow... I doubt it'll matter who I tell her to go with. She'll end up with the same person regardless. We'll all circle inwards and compare when we get back. Agreed?" There was a nod from almost everyone. "Good. We'll meet up back here in about... three hours." The group split up as designated, going into different directions.

As he and his lovers and child walked, Damon recalled that there was another important person to him looking for him right now. One who he didn't intend on letting down again. Without anyone looking, Damon would disappear from the Dragon realm and reappear back in to the shaded grove like forest, red electrical sparks danced around his form as he looked around. His eyes scouted the area knowing Scarlet would be around the areas somewhere.

 _ **Where are you my crimson knight?**_

There was a loud screech as something plowed into the prince, pinning him under its claws. "Hey," Scarlet greeted him with a hint of cheek. "Found ya."

Damon was caught off guard from hearing that from Scarlet, as he clearly remembered that she greeted him with an attempted arrest..."Scarlet?!" Damon exclaimed seeing she found him pretty quickly.

"I heard Shad was with you, so I had Onyx here track his scent," Scarlet explained, having her partner release the prince and hopping off.

"Where did you even get his scent?" Damon asked Scarlet.

The woman pulled a shirt from a satchel on her wyvern's saddle. "I have unlimited access to pretty much everywhere in the castle. Grabbing something from his room was no problem."

"Right, back when you were infatuated with him..." Damon mumbled.

"… I'm not dignifying that with a response. So, what's the plan then?" Scarlet mounted her wyvern and looked at the prince. "We going back to Hoshido, or do you have something else in mind?"

"Yeah, I have a hideout in the Dragon Realm... giving me a chance to reform my thoughts and get back out there... I have a war to fight against my true enemy, who's manipulating both sides of the war." Damon explained to Scarlet.

The blonde woman thought it over for a moment. "Crazy as that sounds, I've heard crazier. Need an extra pair of hands on the fight? As long as we take down Nohr in the process, I'm all for throwing my hat in with your side."

"I was actually going to beg for your help, but now that you mention it, I'd love to have your help." Damon smiled at Scarlet holding out his hand to her.

She clasped on with a wide smile on her face, pulling him onto her wyvern with no small amount of effort. "Well then, lead the way, Damon. Onyx'll get us there faster than walking at least." Damon nodded as he teleported all three of them in to the Dragon Realm with Onyx flapping his wings like crazy seeing that he was a few feet off the ground. "… You're a jerk to wyverns, aren't you? Not giving my partner and I a warning..." While it was clear she was joking, there was still a small amount of anger in her tone too.

"Wyverns don't like me..." Damon retorted.

"I... that doesn't... never mind," Scarlet sighed, comforting her partner as the prince dismounted. "So, this big place all to yourself, or is there people I need to introduce myself to?"

"You're going to need a moment, as you might not agree with some of the companionship..." Damon warned Scarlet.

"Alright then... so, what do I do in the meantime?" The blonde got off the saddle and continued to sooth the wyvern.

"Huh? No, I mean, steel yourself." Damon said dragging her towards the fortress in the northern part of the Realm.

"H-Hey!" Scarlet objected before seeing the company of Out Realmers before her. "Oh... wow. Lotta unique characters here, h-" She almost choked seeing Shad drawing out a map of the area, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

Shad's brush hesitated and his own slight blush formed. "Scarlet... it's been a while." He added a note to a parchment on the side, though when he felt his brother's gaze on him he decided to change the topic. "Gotta say bro, you're pulling in supporters like mad. Getting our army ready may not be as hard as anticipated. Anyway, map's done if you want to take a look." The Dragon Realm had formed in a mirror, perfectly symmetrical... at least if one were to focus on where everything was and not how it looked. "It looks like everything Hoshidan is on the left and everything Nohrian is on the right. Things that have no outward affiliation are in the middle, like the forge and mess hall. We have quite the options for food too. Wheat, meat, peaches, fish... Lilith said we don't need to worry about taking care of the crops, the magic takes care of that for us. We just need to harvest them, and we'll probably find or get supplied more types of food later.

"We also have some ore veins here too. Coral, Pearls, Onyx, and Topaz to be precise. We'll need to mine them, but it shouldn't be hard since they're near the surface before they regenerate. Lilith said she can try and scrounge up other things, but we're more likely to find them on the battlefield. The chances are low for that, but lower for Lilith being able to do much. If we find one, we can bet it in the Arena for another one. Obviously, this is a gamble, but it's all we have thus far. We can actually transmute five of one ore for a single of another, but that's going to take a while. Barracks are across from the mess hall, Forge is at the fork between the two shops, and the Arena is opposite of that at the end of the path.

"Also, I noticed that there were a couple tree houses on either side of the fort itself. I claimed one for myself, the other is all yours. Now... any questions?" Shad put down his brush as he finished, leaving a decent layout of the Dragon Realm on the table to dry.

"Yeah, I got one... when do we head back to Nohr and start getting some friendlies? " Damon asked Shad.

"In a day or so. Lilith is still resting from earlier and pretty much everyone here is still recovering from both having to fight a difficult battle and escape with your lovers and child. I do have some ideas to get supporters now, but I'm still working out the kinks in that plan. Anything else? Doesn't just have to be Damon, anyone can ask anything... pertaining to the Dragon Realms and our mission, Tharja." The Dark Mage closed her mouth.

"What is our plan after resting?" Lon'qu asked the tactician.

"We'll be heading into Nohr, build up at least a small force to combat Garon with. It doesn't have to be too big, hell, I'd rather keep it small for now. But we need it large enough to stand a chance against guarded villages. After we get that settled, I want to start freeing small areas around the border, in out of the way areas, places Garon doesn't keep too close an eye on. We keep hitting places like that, gather small amounts of support over time, we'll start to become a threat. Thankfully, we can conceal our true numbers in the Dragon Realm. I wager around... two hundred thousand people could be garrisoned here comfortably. We can always build more barracks if need be as well. In nine weeks, assuming we make our way to them, we should have more than enough people to free Damon's child and the Ice Tribe from Garon." Shad brushed his hands off on his coat. "Anyone else? I'm going to go harvest things for dinner after this, so ask now while you have the chance."

"Also not to mention... did anyone forget war just broke out between the two Kingdoms?" Damon asked the entire room.

"Hoshido will be preparing for a while," Shad informed him, grabbing a few empty bags. "Their army wasn't that strong. I made do with what I had, but I'm not there anymore. My tactics made Hoshido a threat, but now that's gone. With Nohr making final preparations, we should have three months until they march on Hoshido and we start running into problems. We need to be able to keep Nohr from going through with it before then, and that shouldn't be too hard. We just need to hit the right targets, stir the nest enough that they'll focus on us instead. Now, anything else?" No body answered him. "No? Then I'm going out to harvest for dinner. Leave some requests in the mess hall, I'll see what I can do."

The Hoshidan prince left the room, sacks in hand as he headed to the peach orchard. "… I know you're there Tharja. I can sense your magic." He twisted and pulled down a peach, inspecting it. It was plump and flawless, though that was to be expected in a world like the Dragon Realms. "What is it you want at a time like this? When I'm trying to get things for dinner. Or do you not want to try the cooking of a man you claim to love?" He teased.

Tharja appeared behind his back, resting her back to his. "….. You... do… realize... you... owe... me..." She worded it out to the prince.

"Hehe... so I do," Shad chuckled, taking another peach. "So, what is it you want me to do? I mean, I won't get to a knee this early into our relationship... hell, I met you only yesterday."

"Getting on your knees won't do...but your 'knees' could..." She teased.

The prince turned around, looking at her confusedly. "You lost me, Tharja." He reached behind her and picked another peach, bringing him closer to her. "Mind being a bit clearer? Can't really do a favor if I don't know what it is you want exactly."

Tharja smiled as a devious look appeared on her face, hidden in shadows. "Well you could get on both knees and... beg... or kiss some, very...hurt...and tender areas behind me..." She said as her voice trailed around her tongue.

Shad chuckled darkly. "Naughty girl! Trying to get sexual with a man you met not a few days ago... but let me be clear. I have nothing to beg for."

"If I want to in slanderous terms... 'fuck' I can... just like if I want to eat, or sleep..." Tharja said in a teasing manner.

"Well... I can't argue that. Sadly though, I'm afraid I can't do anything more than tease. Saving my first for the wife to be, you know?"

"Hmmm your funeral..." Tharja teased Shad.

The black haired prince released the sacks in his hand and cupped her hips. "Hey... I never said I wouldn't do your favor though. Even if I'm not head over heels for you _yet_ , that doesn't mean we can't... fool around some. Just don't expect anything more than I would do as a massage, even if it is a bit more... lewd."

"Being... lewd is one of... my traits behind closed doors...or behind a tree..." She teased, causing Damon to sneeze, as he heard of something go off in his head.

"Heh... so, Dark Mage... what is it you want?" Shad asked, turning her around to face him and tilting her head up to meet his gaze. "Just ask, and I'll do it... as long as I get to keep it in my pants and a ring off your finger, of course."

Shad tried to turn to face her, but she wasn't there. Shad felt Tharja rest against his back.

"You know, you don't need to be married... who told you that stuff, your mother?" She inqired.

"And my sisters, and my brothers..." Shad listed off teasingly. "All joking aside, it's more of a preference. But hey, my brother did it, and while I'm not him, plenty of others had. Who knows?" He spun around, looking into Tharja's purple eyes. "Maybe a certain woman in the army can change my mind. Could be you, could be Lucina, Panne, hell even Tiki or Cherche if they get close enough. But as it stands? You're candidate numero uno at the moment. Doesn't mean I will now, but still."

"I am... am I? What about the Priss-Princess Lucina?" Tharja asked Shad, warming up to him.

"… I won't lie... you're kinda tied with her..." He confessed, a blush on his face. "But, in all fairness, I've known her a bit longer and train with her every day. Something I'm sure we'll be doing that soon too..." He tugged Tharja closer, an odd instinct taking over. "Won't we, mon mage noir?"

 _Was... was that fucking Chevlian? When did I pick that up?!_

"Oh so you know a bit of Pelegian Oui?" Tharja asked the young prince.

Something sparked in Shad's head as he smirked at her. "{But of course, Tharja,}" he replied in her native tongue. "{Did you expect anything less from me? So... before this turns into the banter I know it'll transform to, why don't you tell me what it is you want me to do with you?}"

A mad blush began to flood Tharja's cheeks, as she moved her hands along his hair, still resting her back against him. "{I think you know...}" She snipped at him, managing to curl a strand of his hair.

"{Well then...}" Shad twirled the dark mage around and dipped her, a cocky grin on his face. "{You need to be in front of me for such acts, no? My Black Witch?}" He ran a finger down her alabaster cheek.

There was a pause for a moment. "{If you can catch me...}" She retorted, waiting for him to make a move.

"{When you're already in my arms? Or maybe...}" He threw a dagger to the side, catching the real Tharja's uniform and pinning her. "{You mean the _real_ you.}" He strolled over and grinned as he leaned down to her. Her eyes avoided his gaze as the blush redenend.

 _What the hell am I doing? And why does it feel so right?_

"{Let me... get you in the mood then...}" She said, as she quickly put a blindfold on. "Mmmmm much better." She smiled, seeing as she was blinded by the fold.

"Back to English then? Fair enough... but I must admit..." Shad started to twist a strand of her dark purple hair. "I'll miss those lovely eyes of yours. Now then..." He quickly stripped her down, the body suit the Dark Mage wore peeling away with no resistance. "My my... and I thought Kagero's and Camilla's were big..." He teased, playing with her now naked left tit. "Aren't you a natural blushing beauty?"

… _I don't know why I'm doing this, but hell if I'm not enjoying it._

The prince ran his other hand down her flawless white skin, resting it on her wide hip. "It's like you're _begging_ to bear a child someday... but then again... that is what you want with me," he leaned into her ear and whispered, "is it not, my beautiful Black Witch?" He licked her ear lobe, sending a harsh shiver through her body.

"Y-you beast... its...too much..." Tharja breathed out heavily, as her hands shot up gripping his shoulders rather tightly.

"What can I say? You asked for it," Shad teased her, nipping the nipple of her left breast. The hand that wasn't playing with her boobs went to her butt, massaging the cheeks as he teased her. "Calling in your favor so early... and for such a lewd thing... you must really want me, huh? But is it love?" He bit on her shoulder lightly, forcing a gasp of pleasure from her. "Or lust? Go ahead. You can be honest." He kissed the spot he bit tenderly, letting the woman reply to his question, even if his hands wouldn't stop moving.

Tharja couldn't contain the pressure mounting up in her loins, as her breath became ragged and unstable. "…..It's both..." She choked out.

"Well then... I best not disappoint." Shad gave her a chaste kiss as his hands moved to the small of her back, pulling her in so she could feel the body she couldn't see. His right hand slowly moved down, finding the dripping orifice that was her vagina and plunging his fingers in, pumping them ever so slowly. Shad had no idea what came over him, as he was doing this outside of all places... the rumors that'd spread if one of the girls found him doing this to Tharja, no doubt Panne would never let this go. Or Lucina... thus, he decided to end this with her quickly, pulling her blindfold up so she could see his face. "You're a beautiful, lovely woman, Tharja," he teased her, pressing his forehead to hers, his green and silver eyes locked onto her deep purple.

Her eyes were like a hypnotic trance to Shad... alluring and addicting. "And given time, who knows?" His fingers quickened, along with Tharja's breath. "Maybe I'll go all the way... give us a few beautiful children to love and care for..."

Though for some odd reason the ghost of past Shad just died and went to the great beyond, along with a phantom of Lucina... signaling his sense of judgement just went up in smokes. But the moment he realized that, he snapped back to reality and sprang back. Red crept up his face as judgement returned. "Uh... uh... I..." he stammered before grabbing the sacks on the ground. "I'll see you later!" He rushed away, trying to keep his mind in check as he ran from the orchard and into the hunting forest, clutching his heart as he slumped again a tree. "What... what just happened to me? I... I need to talk to Damon... after I make dinner."

(Line break)

 _ **Later, in the mess hall...**_

"Dinner's up, everyone!" Shad announced, laying down platters of peach upside down cake, meats and fish. "Took a good bit to get this all prepped and made, but I hope you all enjoy!" He started cutting the cake and some of the meats, putting some on the plates for the others. "Damon, I need to see you actually. Preferably in private."

Damon stopped Flora from feeding him. "...Now?" Damon asked Shad.

"Right now." The yonger brother had a nervous look, his eyes darting to Tharja every now and again.

Damon sighed as he putdown the utensil from Flora's hand. "Fine... lead the way." Damon ordered.

Shad lead his brother to his own tree house, decorated in minor Hoshidan things. "So... other than Tiki, you're honestly the only person who can help me, and the aforementioned manakete is terrified of me for understandable reasons. But, I'll cut to the chase. Does becoming a dragon... well... change a person? Personality wise?"

"…... Let me guess... blood lust? Lewd behavior? Bluntness?" Damon asked.

"The second one..." Shad answered with a blush.

"The moment you let loose that power inside you, the dragon consumes your very being flooding you with excess power and or pent up rage or strength."

Fear sparked in Shad's eyes. "No! My dragon _**cannot**_ get control! Literally everyone here except _maybe_ you and Lucina would be utterly screwed, and then Hoshido, and then Nohr." The younger prince was beginning to have a panic attack, his magic beginning to flow from his brand.

"Get quill and paper with ink..." Damon sighed as he pinched his brow.

Shad took a few deep breaths and sat at a desk, taking out the items in question. "O-okay..."

"Draw a triangle" Damon ordered. The black haired man scratched out a perfect triangle in mere seconds.

"On the left point outside of the triangle write your name." Damon ordered.

"Done," Shad sighed, beginning to calm slightly.

"On the right side, draw the creature's name." Damon ordered again.

His brother hesitated before writing Grima's name out. "Okay."

"On the top, write what you are." Damon ordered.

[The Fell Dragon reborn]

Shad's hair cast over his eyes. "… Done..."

"The Middle now... the middle is balance...my triangle is Damon to the left, Flying fuck to the right, Dragon Prince of the top, and _ **...Damon**_ in the middle as the balance. _ **"**_

Shad paused, trying to think of his own balance. "Huh..."

"If you lose balance...you splinter in to three, mentally you'll go insane... you let that pent up energy exhaust you, and don't let it out... it festers in you." Damon warned Shad. "Which is why I let it out every so often so I don't go insane." Damon explained. "Though you? You're not fully dragon, you're a Wyrm, so you may have a series of attacks that can come in patterns. You could go insane immediately if you're not careful, I'd say sate your needs or your instincts will consume you." Damon advised.

"That's... a problem..." Shad muttered. "Bloodlust isn't a problem... usually."

"Blood lust only happens if you get a pent up rage of attack, like an adrenaline rush which equals to... lewd like behavior, it needs to compensate... so it's why I like to hang around the other women so much, because my happiness keeps me sated." Damon explained.

"… That's a problem. A big, big problem..." Shad shuddered.

"How is it... Oh, well your fucked... ah I shouldn't say that to my own flesh and blood." Damon sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Well big bro has to help, or you're going to become a problem lizard." Damon said looking at him.

"Damon... only two women here would even consider it... and one of them is yours in the future," Shad explained. "I literally traumatized the rest of them in Ylisse. Well... a past me did... you get the idea."

Damon snapped his fingers twice getting his attention. "Hey, hey! Look at me in the eyes." Damon ordered. Shad's green and silver eyes met his brother's.

"Yeah, bro?"

Damon gripped his brother's head tilting it towards the light. "….Blood shot, yeah your primal side is gaining traction...I'm going to do a little...experiment." Damon said as he released him. Damon left the room only to come back with Felicia. "Okay, you are dealing with some sort of withdrawal I... went through myself."

"… And?" Shad asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Okay first of all... if you tell Flora of this, I will kill you after I gouge out your eyes with my own fucking thumbs understand?" Damon asked his brother.

Shad immediately put the pieces together but couldn't quite believe it. "What... what's happening?" Damon put Felicia on Shad's lap to see his reaction in his eyes, which he was hoping would be dilation and a reptilian shape. Shad's eyes, however, stayed exactly the same as he looked at the maid. "Oh, hey... uh..." Shad couldn't really continue from there, feeling too awkward. "How's Anora?"

"She's fine...um...thank you for asking." She said to Shad as she removed her apron looking in to his green eyes.

"Well... why wouldn't I?" The younger prince asked. "She's family. Of course I'd be interested in her wellbeing." Damon left the room for a somewhat privacy as Felicia undid her dress, so she could observe the reaction. Shad felt his heart quiver. "Fe-Felica? What are you doing?" Felicia's dress dropped from her shoulders, revealing her white laced bra and panties, as she had a shameful look on her face. Shad's magic flared, patches of black scales beginning to form. "Felicia... please don't... I am literally about to get on my knees and _beg_ , don't make me betray my brother like that..."

"I'm sorry my Prince, but I have orders from Damon..." She said unclipping her bra, with a mad blush on her face.

Shad's breath grew hot, feeling extra weight on his head and back as more of his features appeared, feeling the slight sting as the tattoos that took the place of his other sets of eyes appeared. "You-you're playing a dangerous game... one I don't think either of us wants to play..." She dropped her panties next, moving her hands around his shoulders, while pressing her chest up against his. Shad felt his willpower wane. "… I don't think you understand. I've been on a hair thin willpower where my lust is involved. You don't want this." Her chest made a nip slip as her breast slid downwards, revealing the beautiful pink buds. His mind blanked and he threw her to the bed, panting heavily as he looked down on her, claws finally making an appearance, albeit not covered in magic. "You asked for this..."

Damon however grabbed him roughly by his shoulders and kicking him in the back of his legs bringing him down to his knees looking down in to his eyes. "Yup pure instinct..." Damon said, as he looked at Felicia. "Thank you sweetie." Damon nodded to Felicia.

Shad felt clarity return, accompanied by shame. "I... I'm sorry, Felicia. Damon... I'm usually _much_ more composed but... recent years have been taxing to say the least... the last week especially..." He looked at his brother. "Tell me... did you ever meet Kagero when you were in Hoshido? Ryoma's retainer?"

"I... yes, our run in was... short and sweet." Damon sighed knowing he didn't get much time with her.

"She uh... she was my trainer. And she _may_ have been getting a bit more... suggestive in the months following our fight at the bridge. Yeah... I think you're seeing a major problem I've been growing up with now..."

"So now that your instincts have awoken years of suppression... you are going to have a problem, Felicia being the prime example of how bad it could've gone." Damon pointed out.

"I came close to outright losing it with Tharja earlier..." Shad confessed. "I came so close to slipping away that it would have happened if I were any less aware of my own mind. Damon... I don't know what to do. I'm genuinely stumped. I apparently need release and I'm too far gone to get any from anyone willing without hurting them."

"The longer you build it up, the bigger the bubble is going to pop." Damon explained.

"However," Shad sighed, planting his hand to his face, "there are... candidates. Some of the tougher women would probably be able to handle me without much harm, but... well... I already explained the problem there. Tharja _might_ be able to handle it but that's... that's a slippery slope."

"Look it's a problem you're going to have to deal with, I'd help you...but not my place I mean," Damon stopped as he looked at Felicia. "Like I said not my place to ask..." Damon sighed, knowing Shad was going to have problems relatively soon, and he rather not put down an asset.

"… I don't know what to do that wouldn't utterly shatter your heart, man. I just don't know." Shad knew what he was referring to, and he was positive that his brother did as well. "… Felicia, you need to leave for a moment. My brother and I have to discuss... personal matters. Things I'm not comfortable with you hearing yet, no offense intended. This is, of course, unless you're fine with her hearing about the more... complex matters surrounding us, or rather a certain blonde knight, Damon. Then by all means, you can stay Felicia."

Damon's fists tightened, as he all to well-remembered that he taunted him on the bridge about that. "Go Felicia, besides I don't want you in here when he goes full primal..." Damon ordered his maid.

Shad sat on the bed and bridged his fingers as the maid left. "First thing's first. Scarlet and I? We aren't actually together. I simply noted the way you were acting around her as opposed to the other soldiers and struck at it. However... If you were to ask her, she'd give you a slightly different story."

"I know... she was madly in love with you." Damon growled a bit.

The younger prince raised a brow. "Was? Damon, unless you missed that bit where she came in earlier, she still is... or at least still feels something for me." He let out a deep sigh and gave Damon a sad look. "Listen... I understand if you don't want to hear it, but... you at least deserve to know _why_ given how close you two were. If you don't right now, fine. I understand. I'm a patient person and, again, can understand why you wouldn't want to hear why she feels what she does for me. But if you don't hear it from me, you'll most certainly be hearing it from her when you try to romance her again. And unlike her, I'll give you the whole truth on the matter. Both sides of the story, no embellishment. I only ever attempt to lie to my targets, and you're anything but, big brother. In the end, it's your call. So, do you want to hear it from me now, hear it from me later, or hear it from Scarlet?" Shad closed his mouth, waiting for his brother's answer.

Damon crossed his arms against his chest. "You know... a small part of me still wants to tell you to Piss off... but fine, let me hear it." Damon sighed.

Shad smiled slightly at the half trust his brother was showing him. "Very well then... I suppose the best place to start is when we met. It was about two years ago. Scarlet had been beaten back by Nohr and was forced to seek aid from Hoshido. After meeting with mother and our Hoshidan family, she was invited to explore around the castle and capital."

"I'm actually going to stop you right there...wait here." Damon sighed as he got up from the seat he pulled out.

"Let me guess. Going to grab Scarlet for contradictions?" Shad asked, a knowing look on his face. "Her side as well?"

"Shut up!" Damon snapped.

"I'd check the ore springs first, she loves jewels and gold," the younger prince advised. "If not there then the wyvern pens."

" _ **I KNOW!**_ " Damon snapped as he was already down the ladder.

Scarlet fished out another net of jade as she heard a pair of boots approach. "Hello?" She asked, her hand reaching for her spare blade on instinct.

Damon kicked her net away from her. "Scarlet!" Damon snapped, grabbing her left arm yanking her over to him.

"Whoa! Easy, Damon!" The knight gasped, easing herself and pressing her free hand to her breastplate. "Thought we were getting ambushed there for a moment! Woooo, my heart's pounding... what do you need?"

"Shush I need you to come with me!" Damon muttered as he started to drag her.

Scarlet followed along without much complaint. "You know... you usually take a girl out before pulling something like this," she joked, keeping pace with him with relative ease. "Unless this is about something else?"

"Huh? Oh, that's right..." Damon hit his own forehead with his metal gauntlet on his left hand. "I got something for you. I found these in Nohr and thought these could bring me some sort of good luck, and I heard that you like this sort of stuff... sooo..." Damon reached for his pouch and emptied shiny looking rocks.

Scarlet's eyes lit up immediately. "Are... are these rubies?" She asked with excitement in her tone.

"I think?" Damon asked.

The knight grinned with joy and pocketed the precious stones, giving him a quick hug. "Damon, thanks. I mean it. Now then," Scarlet released him, back to her usual demeanor, "where is it we're going now?"

"To get a story straightened out with my brother." Damon said to her grabbing her hand again.

There was a slight glimmer at the thought of said brother. "Really now? What about?" She asked as they approached the tree house Shad occupied.

"Your relationship with my brother." Damon sighed.

Scarlet tilted her head in confusion, about to ask why he cared when Shad kicked down the ladder. "That didn't take long," said the younger prince as he retreated back into his home as the two climbed up. Shad took a seat on the bed again, leaving two more seats open nearby. "So... who do you want to start this tale?" He asked, crossing his legs.

"Some Lord you are... Ladies always go first... if you please Knight Scarlet?" Damon asked Scarlet.

"Heh... no need to treat me special," the blonde quipped, entering before Damon anyway. "But thanks. It's nice to know I'm liked by others anyway." She took a seat adjacent to Shad. "So... What part of our history do you want to hear then? Why do you even-"

"I recommended when we first met," Shad interjected, not wanting her to unintentionally upset his brother. "And he's just curious as to why your mood changed when you saw me earlier."

"Huh... was it really that noticeable?" The knight muttered to herself, slightly self-conscious.

"Alright, Damon. Who do you want to start this off?" Shad asked his older brother, who just took a seat facing the two of them.

"Huh? Oh I just brought you two in the same room, so I could do this..." Damon gripped their heads as he tapped in to his dragon form, accessing their conjoined memories.

(Line Break)

 _ **Two years ago, Hoshidan Royal Palace**_

Shad struck a training dummy with his training knife, slashing at what would have been several vital arteries before finishing with a stab to the kidneys. His ears pricked as he heard a woman ask one of the help a question. From Damon's perspective, he could see it was a slightly younger Scarlet, still in her red armor. "Hey, who's that over there?" She asked, pointing in his direction. "I don't think I saw him at the meeting with the royal family and Hoshidan army earlier."

 _ **So...this is what it's like to interlink two minds not involving mine...**_

"Oh, him?" The female servant asked, looking where the knight was pointing for confirmation. "That's... Prince Shad..." She started to get nervous simply looking at the black haired prince. "You're best not going near him. He's cursed... a monster. He lashed out at Princess Hinoka one day in cold blood and scarred her for life."

 _ **[Who invades my mind...?]**_

 _ **Oh, so you're Grima... Bound and tormented by a near mortal...ha.**_

 _ **[Be silent, whelp. Even at this, the lowest point of his power, my vessel could ruin you easily.]**_

 _ **Oooo not a talkative one I assume? But as you can see halfbreed, Dragons have a higher wisdom factor and patience... how did your complete destruction go for you?**_

 _ **[You'd do well not to test me, hatchling. Not with our minds so intimately connected.]**_

 _ **Shut up the both of you, I'm trying to listen...**_

Shad sighed and tried to ignore them, going back to his ruthless assault on the wood and straw dummy. "There goes the rumor mill again..." He muttered to himself.

Scarlet used a polearm to support her leg injury as she moved over to Shad, she made a few taps on his shoulder. "You're Prince Shad, correct?" Scarlet asked the young Prince.

While initially surprised at the contact, he didn't hesitate in his answer. "When it's not the 'Cursed Prince' or 'Monster,' yes. I am. Who's asking?"

[ _ **Ha...Cursed...**_ ]

"Because if you're just here to mock me or threaten for my death, you can get in line behind the rest of the Hoshidan public," the prince finished, turning to a straw target and readying a shuriken. "And the guards." He threw the blade with expert precision, hitting dead center.

"The name does you a disservice, you seem level headed, if not experienced..." Scarlet smiled leaning against the wall.

"Yeah, well..." He threw two more blades, each hitting the bulls eye like the first had. "Tell that to everyone who looks at me like I'm about to rip the kingdom apart and convince them it's the truth."

 _And myself..._

Scarlet frowned hearing that, as she couldn't understand why they were painting an image of him being such a monster. "Why? Is it because you're strong?" Scarlet inquired.

Shad casually flicked his wrist, sending another throwing star into a target. "Partially. Also because I almost killed my older sister, but hey." Anger flooded him as the memory flickered, and he threw his next blade. It didn't just hit the target, the small blade somehow bisected it as a black aura coated it. "Just another thing to keep this Cursed man up at night." He stowed his kit away and removed his mouth mask and hood, showing Scarlet his fluffy black hair.

 _ **Mother fucker... I'm still going to get a real fucking apology out of you, for hurting Noka...**_

 _ **[Oh? Could it be the hatchling has feelings for his own 'sister'? How cute... and horribly disgusting.]**_

 _ **Only if it's by blood you half bred ilk...**_

 _ **[Where you get half breed I'll never know. I'm from the same blood as you.]**_

 _ **Wyrm's are generally looked down upon for being an insult to our kind...**_

 _ **[Hah! Maybe where you're from, but we're the pinacle of power in Hoshido and Ylisse!]**_

 _ **How old do you think I am? I span generations...you span a few short decades, and you call me boy...**_

 _ **[Excuse you? You seem to think me as if I'm not the real Grima. Well, I assure you, I am.]**_

 _ **As if you call yourself a God...but Gods don't bleed...and you bled when they stuck you like a fat pig...**_

 _ **[Tch, spare me. If you were anything like me you'd know that they do. A lot. One man took out an entire pantheon, but that's for another time.]**_

 _ **Perhaps Tiki will inform you what you are clearly ignorant too...she is a special something, while you are a relic of a dark past...**_

 _ **[Hahaha! Please... if it weren't for the blue haired bitch conspiring with my sister, I wouldn't be trapped in this damned prince's mind! If only his will were weaker... then you'd see just how strong I am without my own power to cause my downfall, or that wretched blade... and even then, she doesn't have the Fire Emblem this time. This entire country would be damned if I had control.]**_

… _ **... :D ... hahahahahahahahaha!**_ The weaker dragon suddenly felt pressure and malice all around him, ready to crush at a moment's notice.

 _ **[Care to continue? Or should I wipe your pathetic existence off the face of this world?]**_

 _ **Well you see you can try but...**_

 _ **You'd be attempting to fuck with my mind... and you don't go in to my mind... and as much as I would love for me to rid myself of this flying fuck, I rather stamp you out first, as you are a problem child... I mean sure I have my own shit to deal with but you? You're a walking basket case.**_

 _ **[You think you could defeat me in a battle of minds? Please... I'd wipe you both out if my host wouldn't react poorly.]**_

 _ **You really overestimate your odds, and that's what got you turned in to mincemeat in the last encounter...soooo don't talk shit, or I'll just bring up Lucina and a few of her friends as a past haunting reminder...**_

 _ **[What turned me into 'mincemeat' is something you were born without and haven't any chance of attaining.]**_

 _ **Umm... I just looked through his noggin...and it's a blade he has...soooo shut your trap or I'm going to start singing...and I'm a God Awful singer...**_

 _ **[... I'll be silent for now but know this. Even when you reach your full power, your powers will**_ _ **never**_ _ **reach your brother's.]**_

 _ **I don't have a limit, I grow, and grow...and grow... I'll keep getting stronger and stronger, so please continue to overestimate your chances, because I'll fucking rip your entrails out and then your fucking skull and place it on my mantel!**_

 _ **[Oh sure, in human form perhaps... but you'll never even be half the dragon Shad will become, whether he embraces my mentality or not.]**_

 _ **Ummm you're not a dragon, and as along as this flying fuck is connected to me, your fucking with fire that'll burn you... I'll keep my brother under constant vigilance but know you'll have an eye of a Demon on you at all times, watching...**_

 _ **[Oh? Well...]**_ Grima caught a glimpse of the last battle from Damon's previous timeline. _**[You seem to forget you already lost to me before. When I didn't even use my Dragon Fang or form at all.]**_

… _ **..Here's the thing 'Worm' I get my second chance to get stronger... can you say the same?**_

 _ **[Maybe not I... but the Fell Dragon will. Now hush. You wished to know their history, did you not?]**_

 _ **Yes without your commentary, and if you ever...**_ _ **EVER**_ _ **Bring up my fucking past...I'll hollow you out, and let him just obtain a Fell Dragon without your interference,**_ _ **Do you fucking understand?**_

 _ **[Ha! Go ahead! I hold absolutely no control anyway! His will keeps me bound, especially now that he's tapped into who he truly is.]**_

 _ **You're right, but at least you can finally die in to that black void...and never come back, so keep your silence and your reoccurring nightmare.**_

"You did see what happens when I get even remotely upset just now, right?" Shad asked Scarlet, a hollow and pained look in his eyes. "That's barely the tip of the iceburg. I get so, so much worse... you're better off leaving. Everyone else does and they can actually be happy." He started to the entrance of the training room, intending to go right to studying... only to fall to one knee, his stomach grumbling loudly. He shook his head and hissed something before getting up, continuing on his path.

" _ **…..**_ You shouldn't punish yourself, it's not good for a warrior to hurt himself." Scarlet said, with a worried tone.

"Good thing I'm a tactician then," Shad retorted, rubbing the heavy sleep from his eyes. "I don't step foot on the field of battle. This is only because Kagero wants me to be able to protect myself." He swayed slightly, feeling faint for a half second before shaking it off again. "I'm not cutting myself. Beating myself. As long as no one notices a blemish on me, they won't even care. Funny, isn't it?" His eyes turned red for a second. "People only ever look skin deep, physically, mentally and emotionally. A person? That's a whole other ball game... one I honestly wish more would play."

"I don't think it's funny... I mean you are your own man, with strength, power, loo-...well you get what I'm trying to say?" Scarlet asked with a slight blush.

"…" Shad stayed silent as he continued to walk. "… You're not half bad looking yourself, even with that wounded leg."

Another blush appeared on her face, as she chuckled silently. "Thanks for that... the leg is a symbol for me... I need to be reminded of my failures to become even better than my past self." She explained.

The prince stopped at the door, holding his hunger ridden stomach. "What do you think this is to me then?" He left her to think on that as he started to his room, brushing the scar on his face with his free hand.

 _ **Wow...clap, clap...very smooth.**_

 _ **Do keep in mind, this is when he thought it was better for people not to associate with him. Perhaps this was his own way of trying to protect her?**_

Both his intense hunger and sleep deprivation caught up with the prince as he tripped, falling to the floor barely lucid.

The memory began to distort for a few moments.

… _ **.ouch... separating and maintaining two memories is not a good thing to do...**_

 _ **Do you wish for me to help then?**_

 _ **No... I can't maintain the memory when they're separate... I have to sever the link or I'm going to be seeing a lot more than just his memories...**_

 _ **Well... it seems to me that Scarlet's memories have taken over since Shad's been knocked out. Perhaps we can ride this out for a little bit then move to the next major moment to them?**_

 _ **Fine...**_

Scarlet remained quiet seeing as she was trying to soak up of what he just said, while leaning against her polearm's shaft. _"He's a stubborn man... but he needs to be more self-confident..."_

 _ **Stubborn?! I'll show you... I'm arguing with a memory... See this is why dual linking is a shit idea...she fell in love with his stubbornness! I'm twice the stubborn asshole he is!**_

 _ **Patience, Damon. She isn't in love, but she's noticed him. She's a caring woman. The memories that follow will probably pertain to trying to help him. Not to mention that this is only the first day of a two year long bond. I'd say there's really going to be only two... maybe three more pivotal moments. That's where we'd find why Scarlet fell for Shad so hard.**_

 _ **W-I am at a disadvantage...**_

 _ **Yes... we are... I sense the next big memory happening around... six months later? Oh dear... it seems her leg wasn't getting any better...**_

 _ **I know, she got injured during her revolt against the Nohrian Government...Ryoma helped her injury last time.**_

 _ **Yes, I'm aware, I saw her using her weapon as a crutch. But I don't think you understand. This was far, far worse than what she went through last timeline. There seems to have been poison this time. Perhaps losing Shad made Garon a bit more vicious towards opposition.**_

Shad flicked through his notebook, reviewing his notes on human biology. And then he heard heavy breathing, followed by the sound of retching and a collapse. His body moved before he even had time to process the thoughts, rushing to the source of the noise. "Scarlet?!" Shad asked in shock, seeing her in a cot, sweating and her face pale.

"Yeah the Healers have said the bone has splintered several times...That damn warhammer..." She winced in pain gripping her injured leg as she laid on the cot.

He gave her a once over and his eyes turned to stone. "... Forgive me for this," he begged her before stripping her of her armor and clothes, leaving her nude as he inspected her closer.

 _ **OH FUCK NO!**_

The memory cracked and vibrated a bit, as Demon's rage was apparent.

 _ **Damon, calm yourself! Does Shad seem the type to assault a woman on her sick bed? Yes, he stripped her, but take a closer look at what's going on first.**_

 _ **Next memory! Next memory!**_

 _ **Oh for the love of- Fine then, I'll play it!**_

The dragon side pieced the memory together, forcing it to continue playing as Scarlet reacted. Scarlet let out a yelp, cowering under that action as she concealed her tits with her left arm, her blush apparent on her freckled face. Shad ignored her actions, pulling the lower part of the blanket back to reveal her legs. "Fracture inflamed... improperly reset."

"H—Hey! You just stripped me!" Scarlet exclaimed shaking from his touch.

Her words went unheard as he continued his analysis. "Secondary wound on the lower calve... puncture wound indicates a small arrow. Judging by the color..." He took out his knife and slit the area, almost exclusively puss escaping from the lumpy scar. "Infected. Puss color isn't normal... likely poison, slow acting. Nohrian without a doubt..." He took his belt off and tied it off above Scarlet's knee.

"N-no kidding...but seriously did you have to strip me naked?!" Scarlet cried out, seeing as it was completely unnecesarry.

He turned her on her front, his eyes critical as he looked over her back and arms. "… You lost your armor half way through the fight. A raider's axe cut through the straps and left you in your tannery. You were stuck multiple times by minor annoyances that you didn't think twice about and left untreated. Does that sound accurate?"

"Yes, b-but..." Scarlet tried to explain that he just stripped her with out permission.

Shad started to apply alcohol to areas of her back. "Those minor annoyances were needles, likely from a maid or butler on the battlefield. They were poisoned the same way as the arrow was that hit your leg and that poison is finally starting to adversely affect your body. I'm going to need to drain the infections and give you some mild antidotes, try to neutralize the remaining poison." He took his knife and started to make small cuts into the infected, puss filled lumps on her back. "I'd have given you less than a week if this went untreated. Even if they drained the infection, the poison will have stopped some of your organs from working, not sure which without cutting you open myself. My best guess would be the heart given the proximity, though it could easily be your liver or lungs too."

Scarlet winced hearing that, as her hands immediately shot to her leg giving up any hope of maintaining her dignity. Shad started to wipe away the puss with a towel and applied alcohol to the wounds. "There. That's your back fixed. Now then..." He pulled out a few round pills from a pouch on his belt. "Take these. They will help to neutralize the poison."

 _ **Oh how I never get tired of seeing her body... Scarlet my love... how I yearn to hold you in my arms again...**_

"Now then... for the icky part." Shad ran to his room and grabbed some things, returning with a large bag. "Your fractured bone was improperly reset and left to fester for about six months. This definitely didn't help with your current poison problem already. Left untreated, the best case scenario is that you'll never fight again. Worst case, you'll be dead in a month, with or without the poison's help. I can fix you, but I warn you... you might want to be intoxicated first or do something to numb the pain. You're likely to go into shock otherwise, and at that point grabbing a healer will take too long before you bleed out."

 _ **Annnnd he's getting her drunk too...**_

… _**You do realize that we can feel what's going through his head, right? Why are you jealous of him when the last thing on his mind is pleasure?**_

 _ **Because I can also feel her mind you flying fuck!**_

Sure enough, Scarlet's blush wasn't just from embarrassment anymore as she took the bottle of strong whiskey Shad was offering her. "Start drinking, I need to prepare my tools," Shad ordered her as he started to unpack his bag. Saws, pliers, pastes and all sorts of medical tools were laid out for his easy access. He double checked the belt on her thigh as the blonde started to chug down the liquor.

 _ **You know what I feel bad for? I never got to see Senya...**_

 _ **A mistake we'll hopefully be able to remedy.**_

Moments later, Scarlet's lips parted from the bottle, already feeling the alcohol numbing her mind and body as she let out a soft belch. "Finished?" Shad asked, rolling up his sleeves and putting a pair of rubber gloves on over his cloth ones.

Scarlet put down the bottle of whiskey, smacking her lips from the flavor. "Yeah..." She replied with a sigh.

"Good. Now comes the painful part..." Shad started to cut open the inflamed leg and pulled the flesh and muscle apart, quickly putting on his mouth mask to lessen the overpowering stench of puss and infection. "You feeling okay? Just keep talking if you think it'll help keep you calm. I give you my word I'll answer them all honestly."

"Just...pressure..." Scarlet sighed out, with the red flush on her face. " ...do you think I'm pretty?" Scarlet asked the Young Prince.

Shad didn't hesitate in his work as he started using an apparatus to begin draining the area of puss and blood. "Yes. I do, actually. I stand by what I said when we first met, even with your leg cut open like it is now."

"…..Good...Cause...I think you're kind of handsome...very easy on the eyes..." Scarlet slurred, as she continued to look at him.

While touched, the prince didn't let her drunken statement phase him. "That's done..." He sighed, taking the tube away and taking a heated needle out, placing it on areas where blood was starting to leak out again. "Thank you. Anything else, Scarlet?"

"Why did you strip me...hic...naked? Was it because you wanted to see a true Chevalian beauty?" She slurred.

"Needed to see your back, was too testy to care about if you had a bra on or not," the prince replied honestly, cleaning up the remaining blood in the area before getting to work on the bone. He took out a small knife and started to cut into it, separating the improperly healed pieces and laying them beside him. "I honestly couldn't have cared less if the result left you humiliated or to despise me. I saw you were sick and dying, I reacted."

"I was...hic...just surprised is all..." She said licking her lips.

Shad let out a sigh as he finished taking the bone apart. "Okay... now to work some magic," he muttered as he lathered the pieces in paste and started to piece them back together, his concentration at an all-time high. He hardly even breathed as he made sure the bone was put back together properly, as one wrong twitch could snap what was left in two and cripple her forever. He let out a sigh of relief as he finished, leaving an almost perfectly reformed bone in his wake as he waited for his paste to set. "Alright, I can talk again, and I have some time before I have to stitch you up. Need a top off, any more questions?" The raven haired ninja asked, pouring a glass of whiskey for the blonde knight.

"Are you seeing anyone?" She asked making a quick hiccup.

"No, and I doubt I ever will," Shad replied, handing her the glass.

"Well...what about me? ...I'd go out with you..." Scarlet said to him, blushing a bit.

"I'd entertain the thought if a) you were sober saying that and b) I wasn't cursed in a way that literally everyone that gets too close starts getting screwed by fate."

"Pish posh...apple sauce... I'm here, an attractive... blonde Chevalian knight... you're a prince... who has self-confident problems..." She slurred inching closer to him.

Shad stopped her, holding her leg in place. "Please don't move, the paste hasn't fully set in yet and I need to still stich and cast you up. And yes, you're attractive. But you're also drunk. And I don't need taking advantage of an intoxicated woman on top of my already bone crushing conscience."

"Shad..." She huffed out, grabbing his right hand, and putting it on her lightly freckled left breast.

His breath hitched and his eyes started to flicker between green/silver and red, drawing his hand back like it had been scalded. "… The paste should be done now. Please lie back down so I can stitch you back up." He gently pushed her down to her back, making sure not to accidentally come off as suggestive. He immediately took some fishing line and a needle, beginning to sew up her muscle and flesh.

"That was your first time, feeling one?" She giggled as her mind was still a drift.

"... Yes..." He answered honestly, cutting the line and tying it off before taking out the plaster and bandages. "Alright, almost done. I just need to set a cast and your recovery can begin, Scarlet. You did take those pills to help with the poison, right?"

"Yeessshhh... stupid pills and all..." She slurred as she scooted closer to him.

Shad began to set the cast, waiting for the plaster to dry before giving in, at least to keep her still. He scooted so she was leaning into his side, making absolutely sure she wasn't moving her leg. "… You know, you're probably not even going to remember what I did for you, right?"

"Shhh..." She said grabbing his face. "Thank you..." Scarlet moved her lips on his, giving him a drunken kiss.

… _**After she got healed up. The next memory takes place around... Five months later. Shad helped with her physical therapy to be able to fight again. That's when that little attraction started to snowball. Shad seemed to push the kiss to the back of his mind, more willing to be her friend than lover for a long time. Though he did start opening up to her more, showing off the talents he had acquired and even beginning to take care of himself more, especially when his family started talking to him more.**_

Shad parried a blow from Scarlet's spear before kicking her back, eliciting a yelp as she landed on her bad leg.

"s-Shit..." She winced feeling the leg sprang with pain.

"Come on!" Shad encouraged her, a glint in his eye. "You can walk again, can't you? So fighting against me should be easy!" Scarlet hissed as she got back up on her feet moving towards Shad, eager to strike again, she slashed downwards with her spear hoping to strike a blow against the man. Sadly, it was never meant to be, his speed and dexterity far surpassing her as he dodged and kicked her back again.

Scarlet cried out, feeling the pain hinder her movement again. He took advantage of her lapse in concentration and swept his leg out, striking her good leg from under her and leaving the blonde knight to fall to the ground on her side. Scarlet fell to the ground, her spear clanking against the wooden floor. The ninja sighed and held out his hand. "Alright. Again, Scarlet."

She shook her head. "I'm... I'm done for today..." She said in a pained breath.

Shad raised a brow to her. "Today? That look in your eye says it's a bit of a longer term." He lowered his hand and sat down in front of her.

"I'm sorry the pain in my leg is almost too unbearable..." She confessed falling back on to the floor, breathing a sigh of relief.

The prince sighed as well, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Scarlet. Look at me. Really look at me." He stared into her brown eyes with a fire she hadn't seen before. "You... You can't give up! I refuse to let you! I did not pull you out of death's fucking door just to watch you become some meek little girl!"

"Shad... I'm only Human, I can't break my body that far..."

"You fought back against Garon, didn't you?" He questioned her. "Organized an entire resistance, fought to the last man and gave them the middle finger as you _lived_ through one of _Garon's_ rebellion purges!" Shad realized how her expression changed from defeated to depressed seeing how her home was conquered. "… Don't you dare... give me that look!" His hand tightened and he pulled her to her feet by force. "YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE WHO CARED! TO ACTUALLY FIGHT BACK AGAINST THAT TYRANT!" He took a calming breath before letting her stand again. "Your will... your rebellion... it's something I adore about you. Hinoka may have a little of it, but you? You're not just a soldier anymore. You're the hope of Cheve. The living embodiment of her will to be free again.

"Yes, you got beaten down. Yes, they hurt you... broke you... but mark my words..." Darkness started to seep from his hand.

"Shad... please... let me rest for now, I can't keep up with the exercise while I'm breaking down with my leg." Scarlet pleaded with the Prince.

"I'll carry you on my fucking back into battle then!" He roared in turn, his eyes turning red. "I will rip their world a-fucking-sunder!" Shad started to pant as tears welled up in his eyes.

 _ **Where does that sound familiar...**_

 _ **Probably because you'd say the same thing to her in the circumstances.**_

 _ **Don't make me find a way to punch you in the fucking face...**_

"Scarlet... you say you're human, but you're not," Shad assured her. She held out her hands, for him to grab. He took hold and pulled her to her feet. "You're-"

A quick yank and a tug from her good leg under his, pulled him forward as he fell forward with her falling on top of him grabbing his left leg and bending it to his thigh. "Who's giving up?!" She snapped.

His red faded and was replaced by a joyful, mischievous glint. "That's the spirit!"

 _ **Great... I'm going to be sick. If I'm walking into a friendzone, then I'm going to be pissed.**_

Shad turned the tables, flipping her around, picking her up and pinning her to the wall. "Exactly what I expected from the Fallen Angel of Cheve. And mark my words... I'll see you soar again yet."

The vision began to redden again, cracking, as Demon was losing concentration, with his rage beckoning.

 _ **Damon, you can't lose it now. The memory isn't finished yet, and there's only one more left.**_

 _ **Shut up.**_

Scarlet's face lit up with a red hue. "….A-Angel?" Scarlet stuttered.

Shad's face lit up in a similar hue. "Uh... well... you're no human. You're such a rebellious spirit and so kind hearted... nothing like the common folk. What else could you be?"

 _ **This is insane! Scarlet is mine! Mine I tell you! This isn't how it's...**_

The memory was beginning to ripple and redden yet again, as Demon's eyes lit up. Demon fell to his knees hanging his head down, as his heart was thrashing around false pretenses of past visions began to fill his mind, with Scarlet looking at him holding out her right hand, her form shadowed.

 _ **How it should have been... as much as it pains me to say it. Hope isn't lost yet though. We've been through worse odds.**_

 _ **I lost her!... just like I lost Selena...I'm fucking tired of losing! I'm tired of having choices fucking dangling in my face! I will break the fucking barrier and choose what I want! I'm a fucking Rogue King!**_

Damon approached the shadowed Scarlet. _**"….I'm sorry..."**_ Demon said to her, trying to touch her face, though her form turned to ashes, realizing that the Scarlet that existed was no more, from a time long gone.

 _ **Gods damn it man, get a grip! You haven't lost either of them yet! But you will if you don't cut this 'woe is me' crap! We came back to make things right! To make sure they survive and can live after this war happy! Selena even said she was willing to give us a chance! And Scarlet?! If you would stop throwing a hissy fit, maybe you'd look through the rest of the memories and see there's a chance!**_

( _ **….You need me... release me again...unite now fix your broken mind and awaken... I will make it right...**_ )

 _ **And as for you! It was your greedy ass that got us into this mess in the first place! You wanted to save both... you wanted to play the hero... and everyone ended up dead because of you! You're the reason we're going through this, you're the reason Scarlet fell for another man, and you're the reason our children are dead!**_

( _ **….Silence...I am but a result of a united mind...I am the ultimate... one voice...**_ )

 _ **Right, the 'one voice' that's going to force Scarlet to be with us? You arrogant dick... I'd rather see her with Shad than miserable with someone she doesn't feel a damn thing for.**_

Demon's mind sparked as a fractured piece of him united.

… _ **.Grima, what did I say about going in to my mind? Stop posing as my flying fuck and stay put in your miserable hole...**_

 _ **(Heh... can't blame a divine dragon for trying.)**_

 _ **You're not getting out... so enough with your banter.**_

 _ **Don't even try it. The form isn't compatible and you'd have none of your powers. As much as it pains me to say it, Shad would ruin us in mere moments. And that's without Lucina and the Outrealmers.**_

 _ **Enough of this... I think I'm done with this, as I'm going to get the same feelings from her aren't I?**_

 _ **They bonded over battle strategy and their rebellious spirits. The last memory looks like it takes place a day or two before the battle at the Border Pass.**_

 _ **I don't want to watch anymore... I can already see glimpses of it.**_

 _ **You're already this deep down the rabbit hole, Damon. You might as well follow through. You are the one who wanted to see this after all.**_

 _ **I know what I said, and I know what she wants... and Shad is too thick headed to see that, leaving her hanging.**_

 _ **... That's not what I see at all, looking at this now... Shad isn't as dense or insensitive as you're thinking he is from the glimpses. If you want the whole, unbiased story, if not for Shad's sake then for Scarlet's, you need to finish what you started.**_

 _ **Grragaaahhhggg fine...**_

Shad was on his bed, sharpening his weapons and coating them in poison. "… We're coming to get you, big brother," he promised, looking in the reflective edge of the iron. "I swear... I'll butcher anyone that dares to keep you from us. I'll finally try putting this damnable curse to good use." He heard a knock on the door. "Come in." The door slid open.

Scarlet, fitted in her armor ready to deploy, made her way in. "Shad...you're looking good." Scarlet smiled.

"Flattery won't get you everywhere, my dear," Shad retorted with a playful smile. Playful in a childish way, not in a seductive one, Damon had to remind himself. "But if I must be honest, you look good as well. It seems your leg is healed up nicely too."

"It has, I'm glad that those years were kind on my leg..." Scarlet confessed seeing as she was back to combat status.

The prince crossed his legs and gave her a smile that had an ounce of arrogance in it. "Well I don't know, blondie... I think a certain prince had more to do with your recovery than Father Time did. I mean, you didn't do all that exercise and training by your lonesome now, did you?"

Scarlet blushed, hearing that with an embarrassed smile. "Nooo..." She murmured wriggling her fingers.

The memory cracked again with Demon attempting to maintain the connection, without losing his cool.

 _ **Relax, Damon. Nothing is going to happen. I can tell you that already. But your odds are even slimmer if you decided to eject now and not trust either of their memories.**_

The memory continued as Shad scooted against the wall, hands on behind his head. "So, what brings you into the Cursed Den then?"

"Homey Den... it could use a bit of a touch up here..." Scarlet smiled moving the drapes out of the window's breeze.

"A woman's touch?" Shad guessed with a knowing smirk.

"You can say that, but you have your stuff tossed around in here, you can't tell which is which... " Scarlet said picking up a piece of fabric.

"Fair. But hey, when you're as busy as I am, things tend to slip through the cracks." Shad shrugged and readjusted himself to get comfortable. "But you're dodging the question, Scarlet. I've known you long enough to tell when you're hiding something... or nervous." He gave her a pointed look.

"I have... been thinking about it and... Shad I think we should take our friendship to the next level... in a more... intimate fashion... " Scarlet confessed to Shad.

Shad's heart quivered as he sat up. "Scarlet, we've been over this. I simply can't. The fact you haven't been hurt is a miracle in itself with how close you've gotten to me, and gods know what will happen after we kick off this wa-"

"Shad, I don't care...I know what I want, and I think we can make each other happy..." Scarlet said with a smile.

That smile melted almost all of his willpower away. "… Why? Why don't you care? First Kagero starts taking me under her wing out of nowhere, then I meet you and you try to attach yourself to me at the hip... I'm cursed, Scarlet. You saw what I did to Hinoka, and I... I..." A few tears made their way out of his eyes. "I could _**never**_ forgive myself if I hurt you like that. I care about you too much."

"Shad... that was your sister, I doubt you would ever lay a claw on me... if we became something more..." Scarlet said as she moved closer to him.

"Scarlet, I just... I can't..." Shad shuddered, his insides squirming around. "… I want to. I really, truly do. But not while there's the risk of me hurting you involved. So... I'll make you a deal." He brought his green and silver eyes to meet her dark brown. "If I learn to control this curse of mine and put an end to this 'self-confidence' issue of mine... I'll give us a chance. But," he interrupted her before she could get a word out, "this is going to be a long war. You might meet someone else. So, if you genuinely feel more attraction to a man other than me before I get to that point, you go with him. No excuses. No exceptions. And we'll still remain as close as ever. Deal?" Shad stuck his hand out to her, a pleading look in his eyes.

"…..how many times do I have to tell you? You're not cursed... you're just different..." Scarlet sighed.

"Scarlet, you can't deny that 'different' isn't for the best right now," Shad argued.

"It's not bad, you're unique, learn to live with it!" Scarlet encouraged Shad to see a bigger picture than being 'cursed'.

While he felt somewhat bolstered, he could help a nagging feeling. "… Scarlet... regardless of if you take the deal or not... why did you chose me? The black sheep of the family... the 'cursed' prince... the social pariah in every way conceivable. Out of everyone in Hoshido and Cheve, why did I catch your eye?"

"Because I saw something in you that I don't in other men, a determined spirit willing to fight to the bitter end, and still come out smiling..." She confessed to Shad. "A soul unwilling to bend knee to anyone, willing to sow the seeds of freedom with or without support from others... a fierce warrior, but a caring man. Quick and deadly in the battlefield, but methodical and gentle back home... you're a true wild card. A Joker. A Trickster. And honestly? I sense a kindred spirit in you."

Never in Shad's life had he felt more attracted to a woman. More wanted. More loved. "Scarlet..." He stood up and clasped her hands. "I can't swear it'll happen anytime soon, but I promise... I will try to get better. I'll become the man you see inside me that's worthy of an absolute angel like you. This world... it doesn't deserve hearts as open and brilliant as yours." It took everything in him to not give in and kiss her. "I might have fallen in love with you too, Scarlet. I'm not entirely sure yet... mainly because I've never felt like this. But heaven or hell, I'll at least try to fulfil our deal so we can at least have a shot. Now... come on then." He gave her a confident smile as he took out his weapons. "We got us a brother to rescue and a rebellion to kick off."

 _ **... That seems to be it. After that they met up with the others and began their march.**_

The vision began to crack and turn red and bleak as the color drained before finally going back to reality, Demon's eyes opened up as he just inhaled a large intake of air before exhaling smoke.

"Gah... my head..." Scarlet groaned, rubbing her head. "What the hell just happened?"

"Not sure," Shad replied, not in as much pain but still feeling discomfort as he looked at his brother. "Find what you need, Damon?"

Demon just inhaled again, before trying to compose himself. "…..yes..." He finally spoke.

"So... what exactly did you do to us?" the blonde knight asked. "Because it feels like someone cracked my head open and went rooting around in my gray matter."

"I...dove in to your minds and saw things through your eyes." Demon explained as he pulled out his flask, downing his wine.

Shad could tell it wasn't anything good. "… Well, I'm going to hit the hay," he yawned, stretching his arms. "I think you two should do the same. We have a lot of work ahead of us in these next few months, so we should all make sure we're rested up."

Demon sighed, as he jumped down from the tree house, landing expertly and cracking the ground.

 _ **Well...that happened, I just have to be careful from now on, and not let anyone slip from my heart... Wait...where does she sleep? Or I can just wait for her to come down...then escort her...or, take her for a ride...**_

A vicious grin appeared on Demon's face through his helmet.

… _**Really boy?**_

 _ **Shhh...shh!**_

Demon hid behind the tree waiting for his Crimson beauty to return, getting ready to transform.

… _**You do realize you left Scarlet alone with Shad, right? Even if they don't do the deed, she's not leaving unless forced to by him.**_

* _ **Record scratch**_ *

 _ **Wait wha...?**_

Sure enough, it didn't look like anyone was leaving the treehouse after him. A soft growl emitted from Demon's lips, looking up as he didn't realize he was circling the tree. "So... Shad... seems you-"

"Scarlet... I don't know if I can be with you," Shad sighed, barely hiding the terrible pain he felt saying it.

"...Where did that come from?" She asked Shad, confused from that coming out of nowhere.

"Things... came up back in Nohr," he answered, looking out the window, looking his brother dead in the eyes. "Things that I hold important to me." The prince turned from Scarlet, beginning to leave his treehouse. "I no longer care for our 'deal' back in Hoshido. It's still only half way done anyway. Pursue who you wish. I'll no longer chase you though, if I'm who you pine for."

"Shad..." She said grabbing his hands. "Don't do this to yourself, you're more self-confident than before..."

"… Not enough to look a broken man in the eyes and not want to help him..." Shad growled, feeling a stab of guilt for the rage he now felt for Damon.

"Shad what're you talking about?" Scarlet asked.

The former ninja laughed lowly, yanking his hands away and jumping off the balcony. "Couldn't tell you if I wanted... I'm sorry, Scarlet. Good night." He turned on his heel and left, rage and sadness boiling within him.

Demon walked away from the treehouse, taking a deep breath in.

(Line break)

Azura hummed to herself in the barracks, trying to keep her morale up despite the desperate, nigh impossible situation they were in. Demon sighed as he moved towards the roster looking at their small group's names.

[Tharja, Lucina, Panne, Tiki, Cherche, Gaius, Lon'qu, Flora, Felicia, Azura, Big Brot Damon, Shad]

 _ **I was wounded and went to Elise... She's still in Nohr, but the upside is, neither side of the family thinks I betrayed them...**_

Demon moved his head against the wall taking a moment for himself and trying to think. He knew that events that will, won't, or could happen, it some small hope he was hoping it was a reset and able to go to the past...alas it wasn't, as the game has changed.

 _ **The question is, how much? Or did it even change at all? Damn... this is confusing even me. We know our timeline to be true, but apparently this is how things were supposed to be in the first place. Damn...**_

Demon moved his helmet off his head, as he turned to the door leading outside.

 _ **I need a bath, and a drink...**_

 _ **Still thinking of Scarlet, boy?**_ The dragon within huffed slightly. _**I don't blame you. She was our mate iin the last timeline, but she grew so close to Shad in Hoshido... hard to believe one man could change the entire playing field. And I've sensed his power. Even now, he's but a fledgling. He's only going to get stronger from here, far stronger. As much as it vexes me, the Fell Dragon is an extremely powerful being at full strength. We'd do well to help him overcome any lingering doubt he has concerning his powers. But, I can tell you don't wish to talk of him. The situation with Scarlet... you're hoping that someone's in the bath so you don't have to converse with me about it, aren't you?**_

 _ **That and I need to drown out the pain... get my head cleared from negativity.**_

Demon filled a tankard and his flask with ale, walking to the bath house as he sipped on his drink. He started to strip down to his skivvies, chugging on his tankard as he dropped his tannery pants.

 _ **You know, even a dragon's liver can only take so much**_ , the inner dragon joked.

 _ **I know you're fucking with me because we have powers that can rejuvenate our injuries...**_

 _ **Heh... I know. Just trying to make you feel better, whelp.**_

Demon entered the hot water turning his helmet to face him, he took another swig just staring at the helmet, feeling like it was staring right back at him.

… _**Come on boy, chin up! We've been through much worse than this, you know that as well as I. We will get through this somehow. We always do. But, I can tell you don't wish to talk about this with me. I'll leave you to your thoughts for now. Just... don't be afraid to speak up to me if you need to. We're of the same body, after all. I only want what's best for both of us.**_

 _ **My mind is slowly breaking a part... splitting me down to the core.**_

 _ **Don't let it. If you do that, the Phantom and his lackeys have already won the mental battle. Find something to help you and hold onto it tightly. You're the leader. Shad, your tactician. You both need to be the strongest out of everyone in order to win this. But, that being said... even kings need to shed some tears from time to time. Need to vent. Why don't you make peace with what you call one of your 'mistakes' after your bath? I believe I saw Azura in the barracks...**_

Demon closed his eyes for a moment and started to hum Azura's song of destiny.

 _ **You know... it's odd, but I swear I've heard someone other than Azura singing that song. I can't quite place it though...**_

 _ **It has a defining...calm to it, and I like it.**_

Demon slumped down deeper in to the water, sighing as he let the water do its work. The past echoes of waves crashing against the shores, the smells, the sights, the faces of a time where he could smile. "… Are the oceans grey waves, destined to seek, life beyond the shores, just out of reach~," a familiar, melodious voice sang as it strode into the changing rooms. "Yet the waters ever change, flowing like time," she started to hum as she disrobed, her clothes falling to the ground and being neatly placed in a basket.

Demon's eyes slowly opened up seeing the steam build up in the room was apparent, and yet one figure stood out from all of it. Azura hit a high part of her song as she hummed, walking into the room with all the grace and elegance of a dancer. While she wasn't nearly as well-endowed as Camilla or Scarlet, her lithe figure was made very enticing simply in the way she carried herself. It was almost like looking at a ghost with all the mist in the room, her light blue hair almost transparent in the steam. She gasped and blushed seeing Demon in the bath, her towel immediately around her. "Oh gods! Damon, I... I'm sorry! I didn't think anyone was here!" She apologized, bowing her head in embarrassment and shame.

Demon shook off his trance that he was in. "No, no, it's alright, I don't mind... Shame isn't really a problem with me... heh.." Demon joked as he sat up a bit in his spot in the bath.

Azura let out a small sigh as she turned around. "Thank the gods... I'm glad I didn't embarrass you. Well... I'll leave you to your bath for now and come back later."

 _ **I don't think I need to say this but stop her now boy! There's a golden opportunity right here for you to vent and start making amends! Remember, act like this is the first time this has happened, and don't come off too strong.**_

Demon sighed, taking in an intake of air. "I...Azura, if you don't mind I'd like some company..." He asked the songtress, hoping she'd accept.

Though for a moment she wanted to reject for the sake of both of their modesties, she noticed something seemed off about her leader. "… Very well." Azura tentatively stepped into the bath, on the opposite side of Demon. "Is something bothering you, Damon? You seem on edge."

"Just what we're about to get ourselves in..." Demon took another drink of his flask looking behind Azura at his helmet.

"… It has something to do with your past, doesn't it?" She guessed, sliding a bit closer to him. Not at all seductively, but more in a cautious and caring fashion, as if approaching a wounded animal.

"That Helmet... it's a haunting reminder of a monster that lays beneath it... Always questioning me, always pushing me to strive for more." Demon said taking another drink of his flask.

"Pride cometh before the fall," Azura quoted.

"Ha...Pride is the only thing keeping me together currently." Demon joked handing her his flask.

She rejected it with as much politeness as she could. "No thank you. I'm not much of a fan for alcohol outside of light wines and sake. But please, do go on." Azura placed a delicate, comforting hand on his shoulder. "I'm here for you, my lord."

"….. I appreciate it, though I have to ask you something... why were you so keen on... trying to tell me about your home realm? Why me?" Demon asked Azura.

Azura paused, mulling his question over. "Because... of all the people I've met, you're the only one who seemed... capable of handling the task," she replied in a soothing tone. "You're brave, kind behind the admittedly thuggish and brazen words and attitude..."

Demon took another swig. "I prefer blunt..." He gave her a roguish like smile.

Azura smiled back serenely. "I figured you'd say that. Not to mention a legendary weapon chose you. Not just any either, the Yato itself. You've been destined for greatness from the moment you drew that blade... even if you forgot it in Hoshido at first," she giggled, recalling the look on his face. The songstress's light-hearted demeanor fell as she pressed on. "But still... that isn't what's bothering you, is it?"

Demon put down the flask behind him. "Do you know the saying, it's best to leave ghosts in the past?" He asked knowing it was the hardest thing to do. The songstress shook her head, her long blue locks almost whipping him in the face due to their dampness. "….The past is like an old self, where it questions your every step... I have a problem with letting it go." He confessed to the songtress.

Azura pondered his words carefully, trying to think it through herself. "Damon... it sounds to me like the problem isn't letting it go. It's about confronting it. For all your bravery, you're scared of repeating the same mistakes, of the past repeating itself. But I assure you, you're only taunting it to come back by saying it didn't happen. As you said, the past is like a ghost. It will only continue to haunt you until you make peace with it." She placed a comforting hand on his cheek, brushing the inverted cross scar on his eye. "A man can run from many things. But the past isn't one of them, Damon."

Demon moved his hands on top of her own, keeping it on his scar, as he relished in her touch at the same time not wanting it to go. "And I wish to help you. I really, truly do. But the first step to any recovery is acknowledging the problem." Azura shifted ever so slightly closer to him, wrapping him in a comforting embrace. "Please... I swear, nothing you say will leave this room. But for your own sake, at least tell me what ails you, my lord."

Demon's heart beat picked up, beating against his chest feeling her innocent embrace. "If I show you what ails me, I fear losing you all over again." Demon confessed to Azura, afraid to let go.

"Then a more... immediate problem," she compromised. "Something, be it minor or major enough to be a burden, but not too much as to drive me away. Something that I can, at the very least, advise you upon."

Demon nodded, as he connected his forehead to hers. "….Alright..." He said as his red eyes ignited red, binding their minds together, as all was darkness filled with storm like clouds. Moments would pass, as a constant struggle of pain and death was revealed.

Azura parted after he finished, processing all he showed her. "So... the most forefront things on your mind are your failed first connection with Selena, the issue with Scarlet, and, this one intriguingly enough being connected to the latter, your brother. A bit more spilled over, but I'd like to focus on those first. But, I'll grant you some mercy," she joked with a sad smile. "Which of the three would you like to touch upon first, Damon?"

Demon let out a heart filled sighed, before continuing. "….Selena. I thought she was just as like... last time, but she has a different past." Demon said with pain in his voice.

Azura shook her head, pressing her forehead to his. "Her past is the same. I think it's more like it's been brought to the forefront more now with her old friends coming back. She is still the same as well, I saw your memory of the event. And, as much as I hate to do this right now, I think the biggest problem with it was well... you." She placed an assuring hand on his chest, noting how muscled it was. "And I assure you, I mean that in as-"

"I know what you meant... I was an idiot trying to restart something with her that fast... it's just I missed her and I was trying before to slowly build it up even earlier." Demon begrudgingly admitted.

"Good," praised the songstress. "You've already acknowledged the problem. However, things are far less dire than you think. Selena seems to have always been a fiery girl, and she did say she'd be willing to at least attempt a relationship with you. Next time you see her, take things a bit slower. Try to gauge if you were right in your judgement regarding any changes she might have had first and move from there. You're not the craftiest person I've met, but you're at least cunning enough to work around such things."

Demon gave Azura a look of pride. "I'm a passionate, head strong, fighter." He said with pride in his voice.

She giggled and smiled, content she was already helping him. "Good. Just remember there's a time and a place for such things, and to at least attempt to moderate. Women like a little sensitivity every now and again. Now, on to the next issue. And these are much heavier from what I could tell... Shad, or Scarlet?"

Demon scoffed as he found that a little counter-productive. "Really? I usually be the arrogant gentleman and the knight in shining armor to save the day, and swoop them off their feet... that's kind of my thing."

"Heh... fair point. I'm only giving you my perspective on things, remember," Azura reminded him. "It's only advice. Take it for what you will. But you're dodging the question now." She gave him a stern yet empathetic look as she brushed the stubble on his head. "Do you wish to talk about Scarlet or your brother now, Damon?"

Demon wanted to move on to the next problem and stance with a new relative. "Let's talk about Shad..." Azura rolled her hand in a sign to continue, continuing to brush his stubble with the other hand.

"…... Shad is an interesting addition, where he consists of movement and based line magic... while I consist of strength and build up... it's like he's my other piece to complete my combat." Demon began to explain. "But his involvement has either hampered or injured my loved ones... this is a new strange future that I seem to be in." Demon explained his problems he was having at the moment.

Azura nodded, recalling a few memories. "Yes... I won't lie, Shad has always had this... aura around him. It's similar to yours, but it feels more... potent, for lack of a better term. Whereas you were unpredictable in your event at the bridge, Shad has always been more of a wild card. His lashing out at Hinoka wasn't the only case of him losing control, but it's less well known due to who he used it on, and even then it was frowned upon." The scarring on Hinoka put pain in his heart and mind, in his thoughts she didn't deserve to be scarred. "He's done it three more times in total, and even when he didn't feel bad at first, one can only take so much verbal abuse before one believes in it themselves."

Azura took a deep breath before asking a question. "When I say he attacked three more people like that, who comes to mind? It was no one you know, I can assure you of that. But if you had to guess the kind of person to make him that angry, what do you envision?"

"…..What I envision? He...he blatantly ignored the moral code and attacked a woman..." Demon began to lose his patience.

"Hinoka notwithstanding," Azura amended. "If you had to envision literally any other three scenarios, what would they be?"

Somewhat of a red spark began to form in his eyes as his frustrations had limits. "He has no perception of his power, he lets loose and goes without thinking... he reminds me of..." Demon stopped talking for a moment.

"…" Azura was almost afraid to ask to continue, not wanting to upset him further. "Go on..."

"My son... Maximus." Demon said seeing Max made rash deciscions in the past and went without thinking.

Something clicked in Azura. "Right... before I comment on that, let me give you an idea of who he attack. The first was a killer who was going to attack Oboro while she was out shopping. The second was more morally grey, being a homeless man that attacked an unarmed Setsuna. And the last one was probably the most... damning at first. A respectable business man, a good friend to lady Sakura. Shad went with her on her usual trip one time and attacked him, killing him without restraint. The accusations against him got worse... at least, until they searched the man's house while dividing up his belongings." The songstress actually looked sick for a moment, shuddering at a long past memory.

Demon gave Azura a moment to collect her thoughts. "What did they find?" He asked Azura.

"… Child slaves..." She managed to say, green at the gills. "Young girls in particular. A vast majority of them lost children parents were looking for... almost none of them virgins..." The implications hung in the air like a foul stench, and Demon actually had to give Shad props for that one. He probably would have done the same thing, if not worse.

"….Those were extremely justified in killing those monsters... But when he lashed out against innocents? Believe me the look of that doesn't go away, it's always scouring for more, and that happened before the events of killing those monsters." Demon reminded Azura, as he could at some point snap and lash out on someone close.

"Yes. I'm well aware of that," she sighed, knowing what he said was true. "Shad's a good and kind man, but what lies beneath the skin worries almost everyone. You aren't the first to fear what he could do, and you certainly won't be the last. However," Azura clasped his hands with a pleading look, "that's why I implore you to aid him."

"I will...it was always my objective Azura, though the brooding of the past for him, blaming himself? I want a fucking clear-headed apology to Hinoka...I doubt she has ever gotten over that day, knowing she was put down that fast." Demon said worried for Hinoka.

The songstress nodded, though she had an uncomfortable look on her face. "As much as I wish to agree with you one hundred percent, Damon... I'm afraid that, despite the depravity of the act, it served as a grave lesson for all of us. If we aren't careful, if we let ourselves get over confident against our enemy, or even if we aren't... there's always the chance we'll come against someone stronger than us. You know that better than all of us..." Azura sighed, the facts weighing heavy on her heart.

"It shot down Hinoka's determination, she now second guesses herself over everything... that's... that's becoming me! I don't want that for her, I want her nothing like me!" Demon explained his frustrations.

Azura smiled and embraced him. "I assure you, Shad wants nothing but to apologize to her like you want him to. But like you, even if it isn't to such an extreme, he struggles with his own inner demons. Can I be honest for a moment? I don't think what he did to Hinoka was an accident. He wanted to stop her and lashed out, but being new to the power, he poured far too much into it. I think he rejects that reality, even if the guilt won't let him accept even that. He's trapped in his own mistakes and fears. Very much like you are now, Damon."

Demon gave her an almost emotionless expression. "…..."

"Look... I won't lie, the act itself is a travesty," Azura admitted with a heavy sigh. "By all accounts, any anger at him for it being an accident is justified, let alone on purpose. But he was a young, stupid child with no real mentor before Kagero. Shad's been hurting and punishing himself every day since, though I can sense that Scarlet and the Outrealmers have allowed him to relax that slightly. He wants to reform but is too scared of losing his sister in the process. My only advice to you is to force him to see the only way to truly make amends, for Shad and Hinoka, is for Shad to give Hinoka the whole truth about that day in his next apology and help him to control his powers so it never happens again."

Demon was struggling against the will to bark out in defiance seeing as a part of him knew he never wanted his Hoshidan princess to ever be harmed again. "I'll...consider it..."

"Good. Now," Azura inhaled, knowing the last subject would probably be the most grueling, "on to the last subject... Scarlet." The songstress was, admittedly, stumped on how to approach the situation further, given the gravity of it. Thus, it was up to Demon to begin conversing on the matter.

"Scarlet has...propped up Shad as a personal aspiration in her life, that... I don't think I am able to knock Shad off that pedestal." Demon sighed seeing his heart was in pain from the lack of winnings he has been gaining so far.

Azura coughed into her hand nervously. "I uh... I don't think that will be an issue... Shad's been tearing apart the training yard for a while now... and well, Scarlet, she's... well... crying. I can only guess what happened but it's pretty obvious."

Demon gave Azura a look of un-amusement. "This isn't Shad's decision, it's Scarlet's... she needs to choose who she wants, as much as I want to start something up here... I have no control over that, and that's a fact." Demon stated as he decided the best of a wait and see approach.

"Then that's sadly a talk for Shad..." The songstress sighed. "He's not going to agree to a relationship with Scarlet given your... previous history with her, regardless of what he feels for her. Not without your consent, at least." Azura's yellow eyes seemed to soften slightly. "You three are caught in such a cruel circle. You wish for the relationship you lost, but Scarlet pines for another. And that man is willing to give her up simply to not hurt you further than he already has... it's tragic, really. And my only question for you is... who's going to break that circle?"

"…. You'll have to excuse my misinterpretations... but it's wrong for me to split someone up like that, this time she is closer to Shad in here than I am...I have her back...but at the same time I don't... the Scarlet I knew...is long gone..." The part of Demon's long destructive past cracked his inner shell again, seeing as he was chipping off another person in his life.

Azura gave him a surprised yet slightly proud look. "Really? Because Shad is giving you the opening you need to at least attempt to rekindle that flame. Are you really going to pass it up?"

Demon growled in frustration. "This isn't up to me... it really never has; don't you get it? I was given this chance of redemption... to save everyone that died. The past sins can't be laid to rest while the future is yet to be unturned."

Azura's eyes shone with a sad pride as she embraced him tightly. "You're a good man, Damon. But, I'm not the one you need to tell that to, as much as it may irk you. Shad is the one you need to assure of your consent towards anything between him and Scarlet. Not me." Her dainty hands tranced his chest lazily, trying to sooth him further.

Though he did wish it, he wanted her back with a fiery passion, every time she'd smile, the way she moved, the way she kissed, her laughter... he was going to miss it, and at the same time it was going to be painful for him to see someone else experience those outside of a relationship as she would no longer be doing many things with him. "….Yeah..." He nodded, as he stood up, moving over to the towel he placed by his armor.

All he could hear was the dull throbbing of his heart as he dressed in his armor, sealing it with his helmet.

… _**I'm not sure if you're doing a very selfless or selfish thing right now. But I'm inclined toward the former.**_

Demon blocked out any instinctive conversations he'd usually have internally... the face in his heart was, he was dead... and a corpse was revived to do the dead justice... He'd burn the world to save those he loved, be it intimate or not, and he'd have vengeance and justice be brought down on all who brought him pain. Demon moved towards the training room, his vision narrowed on one figure that stood out in the room.

Shad assaulted the training dummy with all his aggression, the wood construct splintering with every fist that met it. His eyes were a burning red, filled with rage and tears.

Demon stopped a few feet behind him. "Shad what're you doing?" Demon asked seeing he was pouring aggression in to the target.

The younger prince paused, lowering his hands. "I... I gave her up..." He intoned hollowly. "I-I just... gods damn it..."

Demon's eyes were hollowed, as there was a brief moment where he just wanted to say 'thanks for understanding...' "Why?" Demon asked his brother.

"I've already caused you so much hurt... so much heartache. And we only truly met what? Less than a day ago?" The black haired prince laughed sadly.

"Scarlet... Has known you her known service in Hoshido...me? She barely knows anything about me, there is no love in her eyes for me." Demon pointed out.

"That doesn't mean you can't change that," Shad sighed, readjusting his gloves.

"I'd be dealing with a heart broken warrior, her pained nerves would be too much to bear, she'd be half the woman she was, after going through years and years of build up... and you are pulling that support from under her... forcing her to a phase of self-destruction...tell me where that is sane in your eyes?" Demon asked his brother.

The younger prince didn't answer for a moment, thinking things over. "Well... first of all, I'm not sane. The commoners in Hoshido made sure of that."

" _ **I didn't ask that!**_ " Demon snapped at Shad shaking him.

"Second... you're right," the young prince conceded, much to Demon's surprise. "I just... I don't know what to do, Damon..." A few tears fell from his face. "I don't want to hurt you... I don't want to hurt Scarlet..."

Demon gave him a cold glare through his helmet. "Man the fuck up and go apologize to her." He ordered his brother.

"… I don't know if I can..."

Demon grabbed Shad with his left metal gauntlet picking up. " _ **I said...go...apologize to her..**_ "

The younger brother's eyes lit up a dark, bloody red as his dragon features started to show. "You think I don't want to?! It killed me just to do that to her!"

 _ **I'm about ready to throw him down, and just clean up this mess... I am trying to be selfless and make her fucking happy, he's not even moving.**_

"But I know _exactly_ what that would do to you..." Shad sighed, his frustration waning.

"Do... what... to... me?" Demon asked the younger brother still angry.

"Damon... you love Scarlet. Fiercely so. I can't... I don't know if I could take her away from you."

Demon for a split second let go of his collar only to squeeze his neck. "My Scarlet...is _**dead**_... murdered, as much as I want...I can never have her back, that only works in fairytales... this isn't one, as you got to her first here...those are the rules of these scenarios." Demon snapped at him. Shad's eyes lit up ever so slightly.

 _Maybe it doesn't have to be that way..._

"Fine," Shad sighed, his draconic features dispersing. "I'll talk with her, Damon. I'll apologize and set things right with her."

Demon let go of his neck as he dropped to the ground. "Good." Demon replied as he turned around and made his way towards the exit. The dull throb in his heart got only louder, and louder in Demon's ears as he left the training grounds, only to leave the realm entirely and to the lake side where he fought Scarlet.

 _ **You're doing a kind thing, Damon... I only wish it didn't need to be this way. But...**_

Demon could no longer hear or care about any Instinctive advice at the moment, as he was now tone deaf to it. Demon looked down in the reflection looking in to it the water, and then up where he could distinctively see a ghostly image of Scarlet standing by him. "…..Good bye...My Crimson Knight, long for I wish to have you back... long have I loved you... Long have I awaited for you...Long that I will wait, forever more..." Demon said to the image of Scarlet as she slowly vanished. Demon yanked off his helmet as he began to shed tears for her, never again to be with, he threw his helmet in to the lake as he collapsed on his hands and knees letting out a blood curdling scream of madness and despair.

" _ **SCAAAARRRRLLEEEEEETTTTT!**_ " Demon cried out with tears streaming down his face bashing his head in to the cobble stone rocks breaking skin and causing blood to leak from it.

(Line break)

… _Damn. That got heavy at the end there. That honestly kinda hurts, even as one of the writers. But hey, when the media makes you feel, you know it's good. Right, Starknight?_

 _ **I'm at a loss of words what I just put Demon through...I leave this up to the audience and wait for their comments.**_

 _Aye... Though in all honesty, we're probably going to be crucified for this. But, fuck it. We might not be killing off characters, but damn if we aren't going to make you all feel some other ways!_

 _ **All I can say to you with out a doubt that nothing is written in stone, anything can happen...**_ _ **Anything.**_

 _Yep! Fate is what one makes of it, even for a very understandably broken soul like Damon's. Though I will say this. The odds are slim to none, but he_ _might_ _get his wish. That entirely depends on how the campaign goes. So, if you all want him with a Scarlet, you all better start owning up and making the right calls from now on!_

 _ **NO...MORE...TIES...**_

 _Speaking of choices though, we'll be putting the first in next chapter._

 _ **With that said...enjoy the chapter...**_

 _ **-Starknight'Renegade-**_

- _ **Thank You-**_

 _-Hope you enjoyed-_

 _-LyokoDragon15-_


	4. A spoon full ofPoison?

Demon was resting against the rough cobble river rocks by the lake as he tired himself out from the pain and frustration leaving his body, to the point it was too much for him to handle leaving his body to shut down and rest. "You seem troubled," Lucina noted, taking a seat next to him. "I'm guessing you cut something from your past?"

"What do you want Princess?" Demon asked Lucina as he sat on the rocky surface by the lake.

"I saw our leader leave the Dragon Realms, decided to make sure he was okay." Her cobalt blue eyes stared him down for a moment before she sighed. "I... I know how you feel, Damon. You might not believe me, but it's the truth."

"I don't care what I want right now... I just want to help everyone, save everyone...and make sure they're all alive by the time I'm through...even if it kills me." Demon said to the woman, as he threw a stone across the river bouncing against the water's surface ten times.

"Heh... seems we're more alike than we thought then," she chuckled, resting her chin on her knees.

"I don't believe that you just followed me out here, without having to tell me something... whatever it is say it now, or may you hold your piece..." Demon told Lucina.

Lucina remained silent for a moment before letting out a sigh. "… We're here for you. Even in your darkest times, we'll be there to help you, so long as you let us. Well... that's not true." She gave him a cheerful, reassuring smile. "We'd help you even if you don't want us to!"

Demon patted Lucina on the head. "You're a good woman Lucina, and I hope that when you meet that special someone... he'll treat you right." Demon sighed as he looked out to the crystal clear lake.

"Heh... yeah," she blushed, her mind on Shad. "So... you wanna get back to the Dragon Realms soon? We have a lot of preparation ahead of us in the coming months."

"You... go on ahead...I need to clear my head before I head back there..." Demon said patting her on the back.

"Okay..." Lucina patted his shoulder as she stood up. "Hey, Damon? You're a good man too. Don't you forget that." She took a stone out of her pocket and opened a portal to the Dragon Realms, walking through it and leaving the Prince to his thoughts.

 _ **You know... she's right, boy. Despite how torn up we both feel, that was an act only someone who truly loves another would have commited... well, in that situation at least.**_

 _ **I'm over it.**_

Demon's eyes returned as pain sunk down and rage built up.

 _ **You're getting angry... may I ask why?**_

Demon walked over to his helmet and putting it on locking its seals in to place.

 _ **Because some assholes took away my happy ending... I'm going to get it back and make them pay for it...**_

 _ **That's the spirit, boy! However, I do question something the Phantom did during his... visit. He almost seemed reluctant to hurt Felicia. I can't for the life of me imagine why though.**_

 _ **I am a King of a Renegade nation... I wanted to stop this madness, but I walked in to madness! But madness no more, only fire and fury!**_

 _ **Those who attempt to avoid their fate often find it, Damon. However, there is a saying among dragons. The strong survive, the imaginative endure, the persistent flourish, but in the end, madness prevails.**_

 _ **I don't accept it... I'll never accept fate, fate is how I choose it to be and how I develop it... these...fuckers bent fate to their whim!**_

 _ **Ah, but that's the point of the saying. Those with the means can accept their fates, but it takes a madman to challenge it and come out on top. But, keep in mind, you're attempting to do the same thing now. So now, it applies to you as well. You've started to bend fate by going back to save them, even brought a new face along to help you. Well, faces thanks to him. The question is, can you follow the first three to follow through?**_

Damon returned to the dragon realm as he moved towards the armory, he quickly disrobed all his armor and set it on the working bench as he summoned his dragon flame to start the forge.

 _ **Hmph... shame it isn't magic like at home yet. We'll need to fix that if we wish to save time. Forging takes days otherwise.**_

Demon began to smash the steel bits together mending the armor, reinforcing each plate to provide the absolute comfort-mobility-protection on the field of battle. Sparks began to fly from every hit as his eyes ignited like a raging inferno.

 _ **Hm... mind if I put a schematic in your mind to follow? I think you might appreciate it.**_

Demon stopped for a moment letting the instinctive dragon interfered.

 _ **Here.**_

The image of the armor and how to optimally forge it was burned into Demon's mind. As Demon began to mend the armor together piece by piece, he fixed his tattered sigil on his tabbard, then his helmet reinforcing the plate on it. The last to be fitted was his chainmail, which would provide the brace for enemy weapons.

 _ **Hm... perhaps we should look for materials with elemental properties later, give us a bit more defense from their magic.**_

 _ **Later... right now the necessities...**_

 _ **Do what you must, Whelp. I'll be taking a nap.**_ The dragon's voice went silent, leaving Demon to his work.

Demon got redressed and refitted as he sheathed his Yato blade on his left hip, while marching out with the helmet on his head.

"Hey, Red," Gaius waved to him before stopping dead. "Nice armor. Just make it in the forge?" His armor looked a bit regal despite looking like it's knightly origins. Three plates adorned his shoulders, attached to his arms by chains instead of leather, his helmet having a pair of crosses on either side of the lower part. He forwent his leg plating in favor of leather and chainmail, allowing slightly more mobility, though he did keep his full metal boots. His usual gauntlets were still on, since he couldn't exactly reforge those. He also wore the pauldron he received on his birthday, but it was hidden beneath the plating.

"Yes I did, I fixed it up and gave it some upgrades." Demon replied.

"Looks good," the thief nodded, tossing his leader a lollipop. "Fits your role. I'm heading to bed myself, how bout you?"

"I got stuff to do, but you should get some rest.." Demon ordered patting him on the back. Demon made his way to his quarters seeing Flora reorganize his inventory, humming and trying to keep her mind occupied.

"Damon!" She gasped, feeling his hands on her shoulders. The maid turned to see her lover, looking over his new set of armor. "You reforged your armor? It looks nice."

Demon smiled grabbing his lover-maid, pulling her in to an embrace. "It does? I didn't notice my attention was distracted by something else." Demon teased.

"Oh you..." She smiled, hugging him. "You trying to get me to bear another son this early into a war? Naughty, naughty, Demon..."

"You wound me Flora...after all, you are mine... and I wouldn't dare see you hurt under my watch..." Demon smiled taking off his helmet.

"Well... vice versa, big guy," the maid smiled at him, giving him a small kiss.

"So you wouldn't... deny me would you?" Demon teased kissing her on the lips, while the loss of Scarlet seemed to be having less and less of an effect on him.

Flora cocked her head to the side. "Uh... of course I wouldn't. Why?"

Demon had a wicked smile. "It's all I needed to hear!" Demon exclaimed as he scooped her up in his arms passionately kissing her and placing his left gauntlet on her rear end.

"Mmm?!" Flora gasped in the kiss before melting into her lover's embrace. She parted after a couple seconds before resting her head on her lover's. "Damon... you've always been a more passionate soul, but this... not that I mind of course, but still... is something wrong, my love?"

Demon paused hearing that, as a cold cross of fear bellowed in his chest."….I...was just afraid I'd never see you again..." Demon said holding her in his arms, not wanting to dwell on the past.

"Damon..." Flora kissed his forehead lightly. "I'd never doubt that you would save me, even if I was caught by Garon."

"…. Yeah but...after what happened the past few days, it just... I learned something, that I have to live life to the fullest... I don't want a painful long battle... I want a happy life, even if it has to be short." Demon confessed to Flora.

The blue haired maid sighed and pulled him into a tighter embrace. "Damon, stop talking crazy. Long war or not, you're living until time takes us both to the beyond. I'll make sure of it, and so will everyone else here."

"I don't want to talk about how that stuff works, it never works the way I don't want it to, so I'll just ignore it and move on to more important tasks." Demon said with a hot headed tone.

"Heh... that's fair, love," Flora smiled.

"Now do I have permission to ravage you?" Demon asked Flora, with a sly expression.

"I suppose," she replied with a mischievous look. "But then again... why should I, my lord? After all, isn't it improper to be courting the help?"

"Because I'm going to literally spank you until your ass glows, if you don't obey my command..." Demon retorted, as he didn't care for the social norms of royalty.

"Well... when you put it that way..." She poked his armor. "This might get in the way though, darling."

"Oh, afraid the armor might pinch you?" Demon teased as he held her close and tight to his chest piece.

"Well, I'd much rather prefer... something else doing that honor," she smiled at him seductively.

"…...really now?" Demon said as he began to disrobe and dismantle his armor.

"I mean... it's nothing you won't be doing anyway," she blushed, continuing to look at him. Demon turned to Flora as he flinched seeing a face of a dead woman...the burning scar on her face, followed by blood dripping from her mouth. Demon quickly recovered as he just stared at her for a few moments. "Are you alright, my love?"

"…. No...I'm sorry, I'm just dealing with some... issues right now..." Demon explained before looking back at Flora again.

"Are you sure?" She asked, practically feeling his energy and excitement drain from him.

Flora looked like she did in the present as his heart beat receded back to normal levels. "Yeah... maybe you could strip tease and see if that'll do something if not...well, I'll have to sleep on it..." Demon sighed, knowing he was failing tonight.

"Uh... okay," she smiled, taking a few steps back and started to take off her apron, doing her best to appear attractive to him. Flora followed up by stripping off her shoes and socks, showing off her long, flawless legs for him.

 _ **No...I'm not letting the past dictate this... I have her back! Things are going to be set right! I'll...I'll get them all back!**_

 _ **Boy, there's no shame in not being in the mood. You're still copeing what's happened to them on top of giving up Scarlet. In all honestly, I'm not really feeling it either.**_

 _ **Quiet! I don't need to be reminded of the past...it's gone... I'm trying to set things right, and I'm failing by her by not living up to her.**_

… _**Damon, forgive the crassness of this, but this is coming from the man who literally just saw her corpse when looking at her. Look, she only wants you to be happy. If you don't want to have sex for once, don't. You're the one who initiated it anyway. It's not like she came onto you. She'll understand.**_

Demon paused for a moment, looking at Flora."…..Flora...I can't...not tonight.." Demon sighed as he looked down at his feet.

Flora frowned at him and sighed, tilting his head up to meet her gaze. "Damon... I'd usually understand if you just weren't in the mood for a roll in the hay, but you were the one coming onto me a moment a go with full intentions to have your way with me. I'll ask again. Is something wrong?"

 _ **You flying fuck...I hate you..**_

 _ **In my own defense, I'm a dragon. I'm not all knowing.**_

"Damn it... no Flora it's not like that, it's just I have had my mind in other places, like Max being taken away from us, us hiding and—"

Her frown turned into a more sympathetic look as she embraced him. "Damon... I miss him too," she sobbed. "I miss him so, so much... and I know you do too. So, I don't blame you for not wanting to make the beast with two backs tonight. I'm honestly feeling a little hesitant myself..."

Demon was about to retort when he felt a pang in his chest. Part of him wanted to, but so much more of him was screaming not to as his mind flashed back to some of the more pivotal moments of their relationship. The Resort, a few interactions here and there. Being in a war deprived him of time to actually build their relationship outside of sex, making those moments all the more special to him. It was, however, a glaring regret he still had with all of his women.

"I...just need some time to think is all..." Demon said as he kissed Flora on the lips, before redressing. Demon left the room in somewhat of a hurry, as he went in to the pantry grabbing a wine bottle, sitting down he grabbed a wooden cup, and poured himself a drink with shaky hands, as faint whispers of the damned cry out to him. Soon corpses of the damned, barely visible appeared before him. "….Leave me be... leave me to suffer in agony alone..." Demon quietly demanded, drinking.

Demon knew this wasn't him, he was out of motion, not in his true form... given the rest of his previous time he had with all his friends and family, he had to move on... move on or his pain and regret would repeat...to an endless mad cycle of sorrow. He was brought from his silence when a plate of freshly cooked peach glazed meat was placed in front of him. "Uh... hey, bro," Shad smiled awkwardly, handing him a bottle of hard whiskey. "Looks like you need a pick me up." The younger brother took a seat across from his brother, munching on a small bun.

"I'm fine..."

"No." Shad's retort was quick and vicious. "No, you're not. I'm no fool, Damon. You're hurting on the inside."

Demon's eyes looked at his brother. "Shad, what do you want? I assumed you sent Lucina after me... " Demon asked his brother.

Shad had a confused look as he shook his head. "I didn't even know she left. Though I assume it's the same reason I'm here now."

"Now back to my original question, what can I do for you?" Demon asked in a nicer way.

"Was about to ask the same thing." Silver flecked green eyes bore into Demon, not wavering or hesitating.

"Nothing, I don't need anything...not from you at least." Demon took a swig from the wine, basking in the flavor.

Shad didn't let the comment hurt him. He'd heard worse. "No, I think you do."

"Really? What could I possibly want from my little brother?" Demon asked Shad standing up from the table.

"Hmm... I guess you've a point." Shad sighed and stood up. "I have a magic lesson with Tharja soon anyway. I'll uh... see you later, Big Bro." The younger prince left the room, leaving out the fact he had yet to make up with Scarlet and was going to do that first. But the memory of both of those women and the lewder moments with him burned in his memory, forcing him to his knees as his dragon instincts flared. "Damn it... call down, Shad... keep it down, don't give in..." His claws scratched the cobble ground, leaving ugly, corroding scars in the stonework that soon repaired themselves thanks to the powers of the Dragon Realm. But, with the appearance of his scales, Shad knew he had to do something. "D-Damon... help..." His teeth started to form, along with the tattoos that took the place of his eyes while in his half dragon form. "I-I-I don't know if I c-can control it..."

Demon's eyes stop looking at his glass, as he moved over to Shad. "What's the problem?" He asked putting down his bottle and glass.

"Instincts... Can't keep them down..." The younger brother panted out.

"Sit." Demon pointed at the chair, pulling it out for him. Shad took his orders, sitting on the wooden construct. It suddenly creaked as his four feathery wings formed, adding a bit more weight to it.

Demon sighed as he grabbed his bottle of wine with his left hand and used his right to yank Shad's hair and head back, causing him to gasp in shock, before finding the wine being poured down his throat. "First rule... in dealing with the flying fuck within you... drown it out, numb it out... or let it out, the instinct wants to bend and manipulate you….deny it of that and it calms the ever loving fuck down. Get your mind off it, think of something else, anything but your current situation." Demon ordered his brother.

Shad hiccupped as the alcohol numbed his mind slightly. "R-Right..." He nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Pain is not a deterrent, the more you get hurt, the more it becomes tempting, so actively avoid doing so." Demon added.

The younger prince remembered that for later with another nod. "Got it... no more hurting myself in any way." As Shad sat there, he stopped focusing on lewd memories with Scarlet and Tharja and more on the purer side of the relationship with them. His features began to recede as he breathed slowly.

"Your instincts is an indominable force of nature... it will prove you wrong if you give it the chance...you deny it every time and don't let it assume control..." Demon ordered his brother.

"Right." Shad finished his breathing, his body normalizing and leaving him with a slight buzz in his head. "Thanks, Damon. I needed that."

"Now... if you don't vent once in a while, drain it... you will let it rot and fester in you as your emotions get out of order... I can see it has already happened in your life, you holding it up, it's a poisonous vile."

"… I'm assuming Azura told you of my other 'incidents' then?" Shad asked, knowing exactly where Demon was getting that feeling.

"Yes, she did, and I know you're a loose cannon... that's a very poor, and stupid traits you shouldn't have on you." Demon advised to get a control on himself.

"Ninja training helped, but I still get the... urge to lash out," the Fell Prince admitted. "It's also the reason I've held out as long as I have. We're taught to keep calm, how to control our emotions before making the kill."

Demon just gave Shad a thousand yard stare, hearing that from his brother."…. Oh great you're one of those..."

The younger brother looked confused. "One of those what?" Asked Shad, cocking his head to the side in confusion.

"Are you a fucking pacifist?" Demon asked his brother, being completely blunt.

Shad's look turned blank in a second. "Damon... I may regret it, but I was definitely out to kill you when we first met. I literally butchered an army before moving out to Hoshiod. Does that seem like something a pacifist would do?"

"…. I meant the Hoshidan value of Pacifism, like... peace and no wars?" Demon asked.

"Hell no!" Shad laughed. "I mean, ideally, that's the life we should strive for."

"You fought like a coward, the way you moved, it was full of trickery, and guile." Demon snapped.

"… You've never fought a ninja before outside of Kaze, have you?"

"Beruka,.. If you met her, she has very... particular skills as an Assassin."

"Sounds like a fun girl."

"Yeah, yeah, you stay away from her you little monster..." Demon said in a stern voice.

While Shad would have been hurt in any other moment, there was light hint of a joking tone in Demon's voice. One that a brother would use on another in jest. It made Shad grin and laugh for a moment before smiling at his brother. "Damon, I would never try to actively take your lovers from you. If I talk to Beruka, it's over tactics and technic. Nothing more.

"…..." Demon just gave him a dead glare knowing he already succeeded in doing so, with Scarlet.

Shad was about to rebuke the glare he got by pointing out he was trying to get his brother and Scarlet together, but decided it wasn't the time for that particular argument and hid it behind a wince. "Sorry... poor choice of words." He sat in silence for a few moments before letting out a sigh. "Damon... I don't care what the cost is or what I'll have to do. I'm making sure you and your loved ones are coming out of this alive and well." There was a look of seriousness and determination in his brother's eyes that actually gave him a small amount of hope for that future.

Demon either didn't care, or didn't want to talk about it, as he cleared his throat. "Next topic... sex... Yeah, I know what you're thinking, why sex? We dragons and wyrms have a breeding period... it lasts about a week where our instincts are deafening from the build up... meaning we seek out females and copulate... breed, fuck...how ever you want to puti t.." Demon informed Shad of the information he had on hand.

Shad blushed as he put the pieces together. "So in other words... we're going into rut for the sake of building our race back up."

"Yes, apparently Dragons have long wars, since their long lifespans, I assume they get sick of each other and their ideals and kill each other like we do..." Demon said as he then took a swig of his wine.

Shad's eyes widened as a few of the Fell Dragon's memories flickered in his head. "Uh... yeah... I can confirm that personally..." He shifted uncomfortably as fights against his 'sister' and her followers played out in his head, along with a vision of a much younger looking Tiki. "Dragons fight... a lot..."

"Shad...have you ever did the deed?" Demon asked his brother.

"… Does it say something about my constitution if I say 'no' having known Kagero and the fact she's my teacher?"

"You don't let it out once in a while it consumes you and hunts for someone on its own, while you play back seat driver..." Demon joked.

"… I don't think you understand." Shad took a picture out of his pocket and slid it to his brother. It was a perfect portrait of Kagero, complete with all of her perfect hourglass curves in her ninja outfit. "This is Kagero."

"She's your girlfriend?!" Demon snapped at him, remembering Kagero.

"No. She's been my teacher. For over a decade."

"Uh huh! Right, and I'm sure you jerk off behind a door spying on her in the bath!" Demon snapped.

"… I was afraid she'd find me with good reason. Others have tried before." Shad shivered. "It did not end well for them."

"Oh my Gods... you're a fucking virgin... " Demon groaned slamming his head down on the table.

Shad nodded with a slight blush. "Yep..."

"Great... looking at a Max two point 'O' here..." Demon sighed as he got up from the table.

"… I'm totally screwed, aren't I?" Shad asked.

 _ **I'll give the boy credit. He has far more willpower than anyone I've ever seen.**_

Demon sighed locking on his helmet. "Come on pussy, we're getting you laid..." Demon groaned, as he yanked his left arm roughly out the door.

Shad's eyes widened and he pulled out of the grip, shaking his head furiously. "No no no no no! I am not going to a whore house!"

"Oh quiet down I took my son to a whore house and he came out better than he was!" Demon growled.

"Wasn't that with a virgin kitsune?" Shad asked in retaliation.

"You want someone with fucking experience or do you want someone who doesn't even know what the fuck she's doing?" Demon asked as he got his portal ready.

"I'd rather whoever wouldn't get me sick."

"….Dragons don't get sick you buffoon. " Demon said as he stopped .

"… I'm very new to this being a dragon thing..." Shad admitted with a blush. "Look, there's... a woman in camp who'd be willing..."

"Tharja, I know... I kept her safe all these years." Demon said to Shad.

"And I will never be able to repay you for that. Point being... maybe I should... pick up where I left off earlier in the day..." His blush turned mad as he thought back to that little 'episode' earlier.

"Or maybe you go apologize to Scarlet for being a little monster-scumbag..." Demon offered a rebuttal.

"… You know, I won't lie. I'm surprise you were the one to say that," Shad confessed. "Look... either works, I'll... I'll figure it out."

"Either?! _**EITHER?!**_ " Demon snapped, as he put both his hands on his throat throttling him.

 _Oh shit..._

" _ **You little scum sucking, leech, pathetic excuse for a man! You shattered her feelings and say EITHER?!**_ " Demon growled still throttling him by his neck.

"Look man, you got me drunk, I'm tired, and I'm completely and utterly out of it from talking about... well..." Shad blushed harder.

The grip seemed to get tighter after hearing that. " _ **I'M FUCKING DRUNK AND TIRED AND EVEN MORE PERCEPTIVE THEN YOU ARE YOU LITTLE MONSTER!**_ " Demon kept throttling him by the neck.

Shad sighed and put a pair of hands on Demon's arms, stopping them. "You're right. I'll go apologize to Scarlet and well... put the offer out to her. Okay?"

Demon sighed letting go of his brother's neck as he was turning blue. "Good..." Demon replied, huffing out.

The young prince picked himself off the ground and dusted off his coat. "I'll... I'll get moving then. I'll see you later, Damon." Shad headed for the barracks, planning out what to say to Scarlet when he got there, as well as who he would actually lay with that night.

 _Damn it... I go with Scarlet, Tharja is going to be out for blood, but if I pick Tharja then Scarlet will feel heartbroken again... how the ever-loving fuck did Big Brother start and maintain a harem!?_

Demon let out a sigh, deciding it best for Shad to sort this out himself before heading into the mess hall.

 _ **You know... that food Shad offered us did smell pretty good...**_

 _ **I rather eat Felicia's cooking before she knew how to cook...I ain't falling for poison..**_

 _ **Since when did you start becoming Peri?**_

 _ **Since I miss fucking her... I got to do it like once before I died.**_

 _ **Fair point... though that doesn't explain why you think Shad of all people would poison you.**_

 _ **I have my reasons...let's just leave it at that...**_

 _ **Fine... I'll leave you to the Devil's Drink then.**_

* * *

Shad sighed as he knocked on Scarlet's door, a bundle in his hand along with some pearls and onyx stones. "Scarlet? You still awake?" It was clear he was waiting well over a minute, as no reply could be heard from the door, she was obviously giving him the silent treatment. "… Fine then. I guess I'll just toss these pearls back into the pool and give the onyx to someone else." The door opened up with a tear-stricken knight as she grabbed the pearls roughly from his hand and putting it in a small satchel. In that moment, Shad lunged at her and scooped her into a tight hug. "I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry for doing that to you, my angel... I was being a stupid, selfish, cowardly man in rejecting you like that..."

"Yes, you were... twice." She said to him, in a saddened tone.

"I uh..." Shad was about to offer the cookies he made for her but decided against it for now. "I... oh fuck it." He pulled Scarlet into a deep kiss, pouring all of his feelings for her into it. "I know I messed up, Scarlet," he whispered between kisses. "I know I said some pretty odd things and left you hanging like that, but I want you to know I mean it when I say I'm sorry."

Scarlet took a moment for herself. "…...Apology accepted." Scarlet sighed, knowing staying angry at him wasn't going to change anything or help in anyway.

"I uh... I brought you cookies," he attempted to lighten the mood, offering the bundle to her. "They're your favorite." Scarlet moved over to the platter grabbing a few for herself as she quickly ate. Shad took a deep breath before continuing. "Scarlet? Are you uh... willing to follow up on that offer you made me in Hoshido?"

"Shad...I tried twice...what's going to stop you from running off the third time?" She asked Shad, seriousness in her tone of voice.

Without hesitation, he pulled her into a deep kiss again, cusping her rear with his right hand as he put her on his lap. "Because this time, you're already on top of me," he teased her with a coy yet seductive grin. "Unless you want me to run. Then by all means, get off." He laid out his challenge to her.

"What are you offering?" She asked in a seductive like voice.

He pulled her a bit closer, love and lust deep in his eyes as he started to take his jacket off, the navy blue and dull gold armored coat hitting the ground with a light thud, followed by this shirt and leather armor. "What will you take?"

She moved her palm of her hands on his chest pushing him back, until he hit the surface of the bed. "You know you can be a real coward sometimes..." Scarlet sighed as she kissed him on the neck.

Shad sighed and started to take his pants off, quickly sneaking a quick pinch on her rear end. "It's called foreplay, love. I was expecting you to say 'everything.'" He explained, slapping her still clothed butt. "Bad girl. Learn to read the ques."

"Excuuuuseee me... I wasn't taught this... foreplay as I am new to this...if someone maybe did this years back, I'd have some more experience..." She argued.

Shad gave her a dangerous look as he tore away her pants, leaving her in her panties, shirt and bra. "How about I fix that then? One virgin to another?" He gripped her freckled ass roughly. She sighed as she mounted his hips and kissed him on the lips roughly, her nails digging in to his shoulders. He panted into her kiss, taking off her shirt and leaving them both half naked. "Heh... what's the matter, my angel? Was all that talk about wanting to do the deed with me all talk? Or do I have to hold your hand through it?" He let his challenge sit as he slipped a hand under her bra and pinched her nipple teasingly.

While Demon stood by, he managed to catch Tharja before she could be with in hearing distance. "Tharja... just the woman I wanted to talk to... I need your help..." Demon said to her.

"I'm going to hex the blonde harlot to oblivion," she growled, her tome crackling with power.

"Mmm-mm..."Demon said grabbing her left arm, dragging her away.

"Let me go!" The dark mage roared, struggling uselessly against his grip. "That bitch needs to pay for stealing my beloved from me!"

"You can be angry about it later..." Demon said dragging her to the messhall.

Shad kissed Scarlet hungrily, his erection teasing her through the thin layers they still had on.

Her ass landed and nearly sandwiched his length in between her cheeks. "You look more than ready..." She teased, nipping his nose.

The younger prince panted heavily as he brushed her lower lips with his hand through the fabric of her panties. "And you, despite wanting this as much as I do, aren't. So," He took off her bra and pinched her right nipple, twisting it just enough to get a reaction without being painful, "I'm going to keep up our games until you are." He leaned up and clasped his mouth to her left teat, sucking on her boob as her other was tortured by pure pleasure.

Scarlet moaned out as she buried his face in between her breasts, hugging his head tightly and kissing the top of his head. With expert coordination, Shad maneuvered his hands to her back and pressed in just the right way to make her spine reset slightly, as well as hitting a particularly sensitive cluster of muscles. On top of all of that, he vibrated his lips in between her breasts for a moment before removing his head.

Shad and Scarlet shared a very passionate kiss getting under the sheets, preparing themselves what was to come. "You ready now, love?" He asked, his breath hot and his face tinted red. "Because I sure as hell am." The tip of his erect mast poked her inner thigh as he removed his undergarments, leaving him the first to be fully nude. He used his legs to toss the offending cloth away from the bed, giving Scarlet a hot and hungry kiss again. The two were rolling around on the bed before rolling off it and knocking in to the table causing her stones to fall on Shad's back and head. The pain was dulled by alcohol and lust as he spoke again. "Scarlet... I'm still waiting~." He nibbled on her neck as he ground his erection into her crotch, still covered by panties.

"Then keep waiting, I'm still as defiant as ever, and hardened by your rejections, you'll have to bring it out..." She said with a click of her tongue.

Shad laughed lowly as he removed her underwear and pushed his legs between her thighs. "Oh? Even to... this?" One perk that being a wyrm that drakes didn't have was their serpentine figure. This included their vibrating tongues when they hissed, which Shad used to lick her pussy slowly and enticingly.

She smiled with vicious eyes, using her legs to lock around his head and thrust forward, pushing him on the ground again. "T-that all you got?" Scarlet asked with a challenging tone.

"Perhapssssss," he hissed, then nibbled on one of her folds, his hand sneaking around to her butt and started to massage the sensitive cheeks. His other hand traveled along her stomach, pressing and prodding until he hit that one sweet spot a little bit above her crotch. He pressed a thumb into her G spot with enough pressure to make the force felt from her outsides, getting a very predictable reaction from her.

"Oh Gods... Gods... Gods~ " Scarlet moaned out in feeling an ecstasy of fire rising in her groin.

"Oh? Issss sssssomething the matter Sssssscarlet?" Shad hissed into her cunt again, continuing to tease and massage her rear end and sweet spot. Her finger massaged his scalp, coaxing him to keep doing that. "Come on. Sssssspeak to me my sssssssweat warrioressssssss."

Scarlet's thighs tickled and tightened around his neck, as she gasped with pleasure, her body about to break and convulse with a splash of ecstasy. "Holy Shit! Holy Shit! Shit! Shit! SHAAAAAAAAAAD!" She reeled her head back letting out a scream that echoed the area, causing Demon to wince as he could hear it from the mess hall.

"I'm going to fucking kill that bitch!" Tharja growled, trying to escape from the chair she was tied to. "That should be me he's pleasuring!"

"Sit..." Demon said as he moved over to the woman, giving her a drink of wine.

Shad licked Scarlet's cunt again, finally tasting lady juices. "You tasssste sssweet, Ssssssscarlet," he hissed with a cocky grin.

She gasped, while moving her fingers around his face. "You beast... stop... with... the damn teasing..." She gasped, begging him to continue.

"Ssssstop? But you ssssaid you her hardened by my rejectionssss," he continued to tease her. "Doessssn't that mean I ssshould try harder then, my sssssweet?" He grabbed the platter of cookies and offered them to her, just to say one line. "Cookiessssssssssss Sssssssssssscarlet?"

"Stopppsss with the hisssesss... you ain't a sssnake!" She gasped out, feeling his tongue work around her folds.

"Technically, I'm a wyrm," Shad smirked at her. "Sssssserpentine. You think thissss tongue is fully human darling?" Sure enough, there was a slight fork that was making it all the more torturous to the woman.

"T-two can play it that game..." She unlocked her legs as she turned around and moved her hands and mouth around his shaft, giving it a peck before licking the shaft, from bottom to tip.

Shad gasped lightly and spanked her freckled derriere. "Naughty girl, Scarlet!" The man moaned slightly, rubbing her hips and breasts with his dexterous hands. "Trying to tease me when I'm already fit to burst..." He tilted her head up, his green and silver eyes meeting her chocolate brown. "You do want to get to the main course already, don't you?" His member throbbed against her.

"Maybe... or maybe I'm getting pay back... " She said playfully biting the side of his shaft, ever so gently.

The Fell Prince convulsed as his instincts banged at the door of his sanity. "… You know what?" He asked her, his face blank, eyes shadowed by his hair. He went very, very still, forcing Scarlet to respond out of shock at how still he went in a matter of seconds while in the throes of passion.

"W-woow..." She gasped, while giving him a slow lick.

Shad suddenly pounced on her, pinning her arms to the floor as his rock-hard member slapped her folds. "I'm about done messing around Scarlet. Why don't we finally get to what we both really want?"

"Y-you're going to knock... me up?" She said with a red blush on her face.

"That depends." He caressed her face with a teasing smirk. "Do you want to be?"

She grabbed his shoulders pulling him downwards to face level. "I wanted to be for years..." She said to Shad, giving him her answer.

"Okay... just uh, fair warning..." Shad gave her an awkward smile as his tip accidentally hit the rim of her cunt at first before lining up right. "I'm pretty sure this is going to hurt." He slowly pushed his length into her folds, stalling when he felt something in his way. "Uh... what's this?" He asked, worried he might actually hurt her if he went further.

"S-Shad didn't they...ah...ever teach you biology?" Scarlet asked as her legs were shaking.

"Only kill points and how people make kids," he confessed with a heavy blush.

"You're putting something, in to my something that makes kids..." She gasped.

"Yeah, I know that!" Shad growled, experimentally pushing on the thing in his way. "I mean what the hell am I feeling right now!? Is it something that will hurt if I go further, is it something that you need?" He asked.

"It's my Hymennnnnnnn!" Scarlet cried out feeling the barrier break, causing blood to leak around his shaft.

"Oh gods, are you okay?!" He asked in worry.

"F-fuck! Yes! Yes! That's completely normal for women!" She gasped clawing at his shoulders.

"Do you uh... need a second?" Shad asked, cupping her face. "I want to do this with you, but I don't want you uncomfortable either, darling." He gave her a chaste kiss, contrary to his actions leading up to this moment.

Scarlet gasped for air, before the Crimson Knight rocked her hips upward, her walls tightening in a vice like grip around his length, bulging as her walls adjusted to her predicament. Shad was near speechless feeling Scarlet's body react in such a way.

"You know... I really do love you, Scarlet," he whispered in her ear as he experimentally thrusted into her.

"I love you~ oh! ~ too!" Scarlet moaned out, feeling him rock in to her body.

Shad thrusted into her again, this time kissing her breast as he did so. "I love your spirit... your intelligence... and being a gorgeous knight certainly helps," he teased her, licking her hardened nipple slowly.

"oH FuCk! BIg so...! BIG! I'm not going to walk straight for a week!" Scarlet screamed out in an orgasmic bliss.

For reasons that Shad wasn't entirely sure of, that only made him go a bit faster and harder. "Oh? Well how about this?!" He grabbed her hips and pulled her onto him as he thrusted.

"Oh Gods! C-~ can't... hold... can't! ~yes! Oh Gods Shad! My body is aching for you! I'm yours! Now...do your duty... and make this knight yours forever!" She gasped with pure bliss.

"Heh... a Wyvern Knight submitting to a former dragon god," Shad chuckled, shoving his cock far into her and pulling back, his next thrust kissing her womb. "Ironic." He kissed her with a pant, feeling his cock twitch in her walls. "Scarlet... I'm gonna do it! I'm gonna cum in your womb and give you our first baby!" The pressure began to mount, his sperm being held back only by the dam of his willpower. A dollop of pre managed to escape, a taste of what was to come.

"AH! YES! DO IT LOVE! " Scarlet screamed out in bliss her eyes widened with pure enjoyment, excited to hold her Prince's child.

Shad's panting got faster as he pumped into her faster, instinctually grabbing her hips as he impaled himself in her one last time before letting loose his seed. "GRAAAAAAH!"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed out as her juices sprayed out from her walls clenching down and building up with pressure around his shaft, leaving her dam to burst.

Shad, in a display of pure carnal instinct, bit on her shoulder and then her left teat, before clashing lips with her in a furious make out, sending waves of seed into her all the while. "I love you, my angel!" He cried out, holding her close to him.

"MY PRINCE!" She screamed out in bliss, hugging him tightly as their body heats expended, bringing in cool chills on their skin.

Shad panted as he laid on Scarlet, her breasts pressing into his chest with his energy spent. "Hah... hah... hah..." He dragged the platter of cookies over and placed one in his mouth, holding it to her with his teeth. "Chookie?"

"Ch...but...ow..." She winced feeling the tightening throb in her body, followed by the warm sensation in her belly. "…. You...you're stuck..." Scarlet giggled, laughing in to his chest.

Shad blushed slightly before taking the treat from his mouth to reply properly. "… You won't let me go." He embraced her and pulled her into a gentle, loving kiss. "And I hope you never do... my love. Now..." He popped the cookie into her mouth as her stomach growled. "Eat the damn cookie. You're starving."

She leaned up and as she chewed the cookie, smashed her lips to his. "Thank you for loving me Shad..." Scarlet said with true happiness in her voice.

"Heh... shouldn't I be saying that to you?" He teased, for once poking fun at his past. Shad rested his hands on her womb as he started to finally go flaccid. "So... what should we name them?"

"T-them?" She asked shocked, hearing that.

The Fell Prince gave her a shy smile. "I uh... always wanted twins..." He confessed. "But I wouldn't complain with triplets either..."

"Oh Gods... you're going to make me give you so many children aren't you?" Scarlet breathed out as she winced from the exit of her lover.

"I always wanted a big family," he added. "But, regardless of quantity, they'll be ours all the same. Little rebellious bundles of joy... be it one babe or three." Shad kissed her softly. "Besides," He goosed her breasts teasingly, "I'm pretty sure they'll enjoy mommy's pillows as much as I do!" He gave them a playful squeeze and pressed them together.

"You devious snake... you want me to show my children my 'pillows'? " She asked ready to burst in to laughter.

"I mean... they will be drinking from them." Shad kissed her teat. "I might steal a drink from ya too though. Hehe..."

"Yeah of course, but you seem to have the thought that I'd be doing this past the usual age of weening..." Scarlet giggled, slapping his back.

"Of course not!" Shouted the prince in mock offense before kissing her. "They'll need to make room for their little brothers and sisters."

"You ARE!" She gasped, confirming her suspicions.

"I am what?" He asked innocently, toying with her mind and probing for what she thought he was insinuating.

"You want me to breast feed them till they're probably as old as you!" She said to the man.

"… Scarlet... my sweet, sweet angel," Shad sighed, kissing her. "No. Just... no. I'd make you do a lot of things given the chance. But that is not one of them. I give you my word as a prince and a ninja."

"Ninjas always take their words back..." She pointed out.

"No, you're thinking kunoichi. Like Kagero," Shad teased her. "Seriously, do you have any idea what they used to do for their jobs? They were pretty much black widows before one of the older kings had it passed that they be more... combative."

"You...are a very complicated individual... you do know that right?" Scarlet asked Shad, seeing as he liked to go in to the fine details.

"Would you love me otherwise?" He asked her jokingly, caressing her right hip as he laid on top of her, offering her a half of a cookie. The other half was currently in his mouth.

"Yes...yes I would... you silly man." She giggled kissing him, while weakly moving her leg around his body.

"Are you really up for round two?" He asked her cautiously, raking his fingers along her scalp in a soothing manner.

"Fine but... can I lay down on my stomach?" She asked seeing as she couldn't raise her legs over his shoulders while he pounds her in to submission.

"Hm... sure," Shad smiled at her, placing her on the bed with her ass up. He eyed her freckled cheeks and licked his lips, already starting to harden again. Without warning, he placed his slowly raising mast between her butt cheeks. "So... you sure you want a round two? I don't want you crippled for the next month or two," he teased her, spanking her lightly.

"Whatever...~ow!~ You want my...Prince..." She gasped out from the spank of her ass.

Shad was silenced by the reaction he got. "Was... was that a moan?" He slowly started to become more erect at sound of her carnal, lewd sound. "Do... do you get off on me spanking you or something?"

Scarlet gasped out again from the contact of his hand on her rear end. "Only to you... " Scarlet moaned out to her Prince.

"… I'm going to fucking ravage you until you can't walk for a month," he growled in her ear, spanking her with all the force of a paddle on her rear.

"EEK! W-where did you get a paddle!?" Scarlet demanded.

"I didn't," Shad grinned at her, showing her his empty hands before spanking her again.

"T-that's your hand?!" She gasped, as her ass jiggled yet again from the blow to her skin.

"Yeeeeep," he grinned at her, making her ass redden again with another swift strike.

"I... come on, I thought...~ow!` we were going to m-make love...not...spank me till my ass is red!" She cried out again feeling the sting of his hand on her cheeks.

Shad pondered for a moment before agreeing. "Fair point. So..." He pressed his cock between her ass cheeks, "I think I'll just have a little fun."

"w-wait, that's not...not going to f-fit!" Scarlet exclaimed feeling him push onwards until the tip managed to force itself in. " _ **AAAHHHH!**_ " Scarlet let out another cry as she gripped the sheets on the floor tightly.

"Hm..." Shad decided to fight dirty and shove in almost a quarter of his seven and a half length in at once.

"~Hhuuuaaahh!~" Scarlet's eyes widened as she gasped for air, until she began to take the entire length with his balls slapping her folds, jolting her legs to twitch, and her folds to spasm, as it leaked with her juices.

"Still having doubts?" Shad asked teasingly, cupping her boob. Scarlet's only form of revenge was to now squeeze and clench his shaft, putting Shad a quite the disadvantage of pressing forward or pulling out, almost as she was strangling it in a tight embrace. "Oh~?! Fighting dirty then! Okay!" Shad plunged a pair of fingers into her pussy and hooked her G spot, torturing the hard, sensitive part of her insides. In one last act of defiance she sacrificed her standing on the floor by removing her hands from underneath her, and gripped her own ass cheeks squeezing them even tighter and wiggling her ass while Shad was still very much in her nigh-tight asshole. "Y-You know," Shad panted as he licked her neck, "you're on-only gonna make me cum harder, right?" He spanked her with his free hand as he talked.

She only responded with a heavy grunt, and clenched tighter and tighter thrusting back in to his pelvis, refusing to give up the hard struggle of the Prince, as she knew the crusade that was taken place where the sun doesn't shine was about to end, in a sour victory for him. "…" Shad said nothing as he picked her up, seating her on his lap with her back to him and started to lift her up and down, sending a wave of shock and pleasure through her as gravity started to do most of the work for him, rendering making her ass tighter a very poor decision for her. "You like this, Scarlet?" He hissed in her ear.

"~Y-YEs! I love it!" Scarlet cracked out, her body failing to respond to pain anymore, flooded with a new feeling of pure erotic behavior and orgasmic nerve pulses flaring up in the body.

"Do you want me to go harder?" He growled, spanking her as she bounced on his hard cock.

Scarlet was drooling out as she had a smile of care free bliss on her face. "H-harder...Deeper...faster..." Scarlet ordered as she was done waiting for her prize, she worked hard for it...years in fact to take what was hers.

"Heh... as you wish, angel." He raised her higher, almost pulling her off before forcing her back onto his hips, her plush behind softening the blow. The result though, was his cock going even further into her than before, breaching a new boundary. Her ass was providing the ultimate tightness for his enjoyment, every thrust, squeeze, clench and wiggle...was enough to send him to the heavens and then come back down for a second round. He stood and took his cock out, turning her to the bed. "You want this to continue, my dearest?" He asked in a seductive tone.

"T-take me my lord!" She exclaimed out of breath.

"Then bend over and present," he growled into her sex crazed mind. She placed her hands on the bed, with her shaking and wobbly feet barely supporting her, she bowed down on the bed raising her ass as high as they can go while standing on her toes. Shad grinned and kissed her hip before grinding his cock into her pussy again, going in till the base and kissing her womb. "Think you can handle another shot here, love?"

"Do it as many times as you want! I'm yours!" She cried out in her last ditch assault on his mind.

Shad decided to have a small moment with her instead, turning her face to his and kissing her. "And I yours, my darling." The sheer amount of love and care in his eyes was enough to make her legs turn to jelly, especially since they were devoid of lust. Scarlet's legs failing to support her from the strenuous exercise buckled underneath him, as she fell to her knees rather quickly on the floor, causing Shad's length to pop out and slap her back. "You okay, Scarlet?" He asked, stooping down to her level.

"S-sorry...my legs were having trouble..." She gasped, attempting to get back up.

"Hey." He kissed the crown of her head, laying her gently on the bed. "It's okay. I'm honestly starting to cramp up a little myself," he chuckled. She responded by grabbing his shaft, to help his last effort of pleasure, by placing it flat against her folds rubbing her clit against his shaft in a smooth like tickling sensation. Lust built up in his chest again as he kissed her stomach, licking a small amount of sweat from her and kissing her breasts. "How did a guy like me end up with a girl... like..." Lucina and Tharja popped into his mind.

"I don't know, if you didn't come up here to apologize tonight and did it in the morning... I might have never given you that chance..." Scarlet breathed out, seeing as Demon was right about going to apologize to the woman who's heart he nearly smashed to pieces a third time.

"Yeah... I'm uh... I'm sorry about that," he apologized, his mind now racing with worst case scenarios about how his relationships with Lucina and Tharja could go.

 _Damn it... I love Scarlet, I know that... but why can't I get them out of my head too?_

Scarlet's eyes began to weakly shut as her heart rate started to calm down from the adrenaline rush of mating with Shad. "...Scarlet?" Shad asked, no longer in the mood himself.

"…..Hmm...?" Scarlet hummed in a near sleep induced trance.

The Fell Prince took in a large inhale before asking his question. "Say I... I... fuck this isn't easy..." Shad took a moment to collect himself before trying again. "Say other women wanted to be with me later in life. And I held affections for such women as well."

"…..Get in line..." She yawned out hugging his body.

"So... you wouldn't mind sharing then?" Shad asked cautiously.

"Mind... what?" Scarlet asked almost on the edge of dream land.

The younger prince sighed and pinched her, hoping to wake her up a little more. "If a few women were to join our little relationship."

"…...who?" Scarlet asked seeing as she could barely keep awake.

"At the moment? Lucina and Tharja. The latter will definitely be a problem if we don't nip her in the bud one way or another."

"Isn't...Lucina...Prince..Damon's guard captain?" She weakly asked him.

"She uh... she might've fallen for me while I was in Nohr... along with Tharja..." A few more faces popped up as he talked, "And Tiki... and Cherche... and Panne... oh gods..."

"Your...funeral..." Scarlet yawned out before reaching the edge again.

"… Good night, my love," Shad whispered in her ear, kissing her goodnight as he cuddled into her, pulling a sheet over them.

After hearing the moaning and cries subside, Demon sighed as he cut the bindings off of Tharja. "Okay...show's over..." Demon huffed out, clearly irritated of tonight's events.

"… I'm going to hex her now," the dark mage stated. "I'm going to make her regret taking Shad from me."

"Tharja, she knew Shad for years, that's something she has over you by a milestone... I wouldn't attempt at doing something silly..." Demon reminded the witch.

"… What do you suggest?" She asked drunkenly, her natural way of thinking inhibited by alcohol, to Scarlet's favor.

"Win him over in a strategic sense, give things Scarlet can't... win at hearts, not by use of curse and sword... the blow back will be twice as hard." Demon advised her as he finished his flask before pocketing the silver flask.

Tharja remained silent for multiple minutes before sighing. "Fine. I'll try. But if it doesn't work..."

"Good girl..." Demon said patting her on the head. "It will." Demon didn't want her to hex Scarlet, who he was still clearly madly in love for.

"So... what do you suggest?" The dark mage asked, hiccupping slightly.

"Patience is key, do what you do best, watch...then act." Demon suggested to Tharja.

The Pelegian woman sighed as she leafed through her tomes. "Anything else that's more... immediate? You are the one who advised me of this over my usual method. If I'm going to move out of my comfort zone, I need ideas." She closed her book, giving him a harsh look that was severely mellowed by alcohol. "Or I can just go back to plan A."

"Uh plan A?" Demon asked Tharja.

Magic flowed from her tome. "Hexing until I get my man back."

"Hexing doesn't always work you and I both know that, it has its draw backs, one must sacrifice something to have sacrifice..." Demon explained.

"Then you better start talking before I find some prey to use as catalysts. There's plenty of birds and small animals outside of the Dragon Realms."

"You're a sick little minx you know that right?" Demon asked Tharja as he got up from his seat.

"Born and raised that way," the woman replied detachedly. "Fought in three wars this way and spent almost my whole life with these practices."

Demon's head tilted to the left ever so slowly. "That's...good?"

"… I want Shad..." Tharja deadpanned, though her eyes betrayed her pain. "I... I honest to gods love him... just please, give me anything to go off of, Damon."

Demon sighed as he thought of something. "Ever hear of meditation?" Demon asked Tharja as he approached her.

"Do it every night before bed," she informed him, nibbling on the food Shad made that Damon didn't eat. "Why do you ask?"

"Maybe you need a new mediation." Demon said to Tharja.

The Dark Mage gave him a stone-faced look. "What good would that do?"

"Get your mind off Scarlet and Shad... for one." Demon reminded her seeing as he needed to keep her under wraps.

"… I might try it... anything else?"

Demon held out his right gauntlet to Tharja. "Come with me."

The drunken woman hesitantly took his hand. "What are you planning?" Demon lead the drunken Tharja out in to the courtyard until he moved over to the open pace and transformed in to a sizable dragon, he extended his left wing as he laid down for Tharja. "… Do you want me to get on?"

Demon huffed as he grabbed her with his tail and putting her on his back neck. _**"Hang on..."**_ Demon's voice echoed a bit as he extended his wings outward as he started to flap them to gain speed and strength before taking off of the ground.

Tharja grabbed onto his neck with as much of her merger strength she could muster. "I'm not very strong!" She shouted, starting to feel motion sick. "And I'm not sure the alcohol is agreeing with this!" Demon broke the sound barrier as he went as high as the clouds before gliding through the sky letting her see the bright moon. The light reflected off her pale skin, her hair flying behind her. "It's a nice view... but why are we here!?" She asked over the sound of the wind.

" _ **Shhhhh...watch...**_ " Demon said as he slowed down, blue, red, white, green, and purple lights began to appear glimmering in the sky above the clouds.

Her eyes widened as she looked at the lights. "Wow... what are these lights?" She asked in awe, never seeing anything like this before.

"Beats me, but if I could guess? It's spirits...in this realm, they have this calming charm to them..." He said as he leaned right to glide near them.

Tharja's stomach seemed to relax as the urge to throw up diminished. "Damon... why show me this? Why not Flora or Felicia, or hell even Anor... a..." an orange creature descended and smiled at her. It had spikey, floppy ears and a jewel in its forehead.

" _ **because Flora, Felicia, and even... Anora don't threaten to put Hexes on someone... you need to detach and unwind... the best part of it is simply not giving a care and relaaaaaxxx...**_ " Demon explained to Tharja.

The creature cooed and nuzzled into her, sitting in her lap. "What... what are these things?" The small creature filled her with a warmth that she rarely felt outside of her loved ones, a blue one with wavy ears rested on her head, a green one with leaf like ears squeezing in with the orange, and a yellow one with crescent ears and cute striped horns smiling as it wrapped its arms around her neck in a hug.

"Dragon spirits...I think after they die or before they have to reincarnate, I don't know how dragons life cycles are actually, I know they are nothing like Phoenixes...they're just different. " Demon explained as colorful lights surrounded them.

Tharja actually felt at peace as the cute creatures comforted her. "… Do you think one of these will be you or Shad's children?" She asked, petting the green one. It's deadpan expression faltered as it smiled softly, nuzzling into her hand.

"It's possible...but I have no conception of this realm, I'm still very ignorant to many things here..." Demon confessed.

"… Do you think these creatures could be familiars if they wanted to be?" She asked, noting as the yellow one poked her thunder tome. The orange one flipped through her Elfire tome, acting as if it was reading from it.

Lightning danced across the sky as a silhouette of a giant beast could be seen behind the clouds. _**"Hold on..."**_ Demon ordered as he was gaining some distance from the cloud seeing six purple eyes. Demon's eyes widened seeing the size of the creature, so he had to immediately go expend his own power to grow in size letting his form increased as he was still gliding back getting distance from the storm cloud. A purple like energy blast from the storm cloud nearly grazing Demon and Tharja. _**"SON OF A BITCH!"**_ Demon roared swooping down below the clouds, to take evasive measures.

"What the hell is this?!" She asked in a surprised tone.

Though what appeared through the clouds going right across them brought fear of the memories of Grima as it flew over them, dancing across the dark grey clouds. _**"It's going to be dead that's what it is!"**_ Demon growled out.

 _Miss me?_ A telepathic voice asked as darkness formed in its maw.

" _ **DROP IT!"**_ Demon roared evading another strike from Grima. _**"I thought you said you destroyed this fuck!"**_ Demon roared out.

"We did! Shad should be the only Fell Dragon!"

" _ **Apparently not...**_ " Demon muttered.

 _Oh, he is... well... sort of._ The dragon chuckled.

" _ **Time to get you to the ground, I'll take this flying fuck...where's is the FUCKING GROUND?!**_ " Demon roared seeing a purple like cloud storm below them.

 _You think I'd let my mate leave me?_ 'Grima' asked with a light laugh. _The girl is coming with me._

" _ **Your mate...?**_ _ **YOU!**_ " Demon growled as he swept forward breathing fire bolt towards Grimma.

 _Heh... dense as always._ Grima finally showed his face from the mist, which would have made Damon pale if he could. This... monster dwarfed him by a significant margin. The Prince barely as tall as this _**thing's**_ muzzle.

" _ **THARJA I NEED A SPELL! A REALLY POWERFULL ONE! I NEED TO GROW EXPENETIONALLY!**_ " Demon roared diving under Grima avoiding the hooded figure appearing on the beast. Demon began to get angry as he was using that rage as a catalyst to concentrate energy.

Tharja took out her strongest tome, casting it on Damon with all her power. "GOETIA!" Black mist and lightning struck him as the malevolent energy coursed through him, but even that paled in comparison to Grima's breath attacks.

Demon felt the pain surface and began to boil, his eyes watching the Wyrm dance through darkening storm. Demon's dragon form began to grow even more as he dove in to the purple like storm. Demon broke the sound barrier once again by slamming in to Grima taking advantage of his limbless body.

"Heh... so you finally decided to take the fight to me," the cloaked figure goaded him, drawing a Levin sword and a tattered version of Shad's tome. "Ready for round two then?" Demon's eyes widened as he saw the cloak figure jump off of Grima and on to his body landing near Tharja. Demon attempted to do a death spin to throw him off but he was walking on him like normal, moving towards Tharja with perfect balance. "Hello, my Black Witch," the cloaked figure greeted her.

Demon's rage reached peak form, as he growled and allowed his form to be split as a red dragon like knight grabbed the cloaked figure and throwing him back twirling his sword, as he kept distance in between Tharja and him. _**"Not this time!"**_ The armored Demon roared with glowing red eyes.

"Well well!" The man laughed, opening his tome. "Color me impressed, fledgling!" He disappeared, and Demon found himself being shocked badly by the Levin Sword. "You've started taking pages from my book. Clever bastard." The cloaked figure kicked him back with a smug grin. "Even with that absorption gimmick though, you're _very_ new to this style of fighting."

Demon and the hooded figure clashed roughly for several minutes. Demon was thrown back on the Dragon Demon's back, near Tharja. "Heh... even with the rage of a god of war, you still can't beat me. Believe me." The man stabbed Demon again and this time pointed a hand at his face, the tome levitating beside him. "I've beaten one. Thoron." A spear of lightning shot through the armored man and his dragon form, making him gasp as unbridled pain rocked his body.

Demon growled as Tharja was picked up by the hooded man and jumped on to the Grima. Demon's dragon form narrowed down on the two, as a very bright red light illuminated the two separate Demon's conjoining them back to one.

"Hmph... resilient bastard. Fine." The man sighed and released his grip on Tharja. "You have ten seconds before that form starts to fail. I suggest you make them count."

A ball of red light struck the hooded man as a black dragon knight materialized, he quickly grabbed Tharja and ran off towards the tail end of the Grima and dove right off after he flashed a middle finger at the figure. Demon and Tharja were breaking the sound barrier as they fell towards the purple storm energy, Demon held out his right hand in this black Dragon knight form and whished it to the side causing a small hole to open up as they went through that, letting their hide out to be seen.

"That... that was him... wasn't it?" Tharja asked, shaking in fear. "One of the people from that... weird world."

Demon opened a small pair of wings to slow down as he landed on his feet shaking in his armor as he depleted his power level. Demon set Tharja down before going back to his regular form, breathing heavily. "…..he was responsible for... murdering... burning... defiling... and destroying everything...I held dear..." Demon gasped a fresh breath of air.

"But... why me?" She asked, trying to catch her breath, the fear sobering her. "How am I a mate to that... thing?"

"To hurt someone you care about possibly..." Demon fell on his ass, as he was exhausted from the pain he received.

"… We should get back to camp," Tharja shuddered. "I... Damon, I... I don't think I can wait after this. I _need_ to be with Shad now."

"Then go..." Demon sighed waving her off, sitting under the sakura tree.

"Damon, I... I don't know how though," the dark mage gasped, falling to her knees. "That... scarlet woman took him... I don't know how to even approach him like I want to without her getting in the way... please... I need help." For once, she had tears in her eyes, shocking Demon. Tharja was usually so composed and gloomy, seeing her so scared and desparate was... eye opening.

"What do you want me to do? Huh? I have no sense of connection with her here... and I can't tell her to simply back off, She's clung to Shad now..." Demon groaned getting up.

"Then... give me some advice... anything... I want him to be with me..."

"Just go confront him...tell him how you feel and stop being a fucking _**Pussy**_!" Demon snapped as he spat out blood from the wound he received. "Or are you too much of a coward, and just be reduced to stalking him till your dying breath?!" Demon barked at Tharja.

"… We're getting you back to base first," she sighed, trying to help him up. "Those wounds need treatment."

Demon swatted her hand away as he stopped her from helping. "Stop... they're cursed wounds... I need a healer Tharja..." Demon said not moving anymore as he laid against the tree.

The dark mage faltered. "… Then we need the twins."

"….Tharja...?" Demon asked taking off his helmet.

"What?" She asked, about to rush to the camp.

Demon's face was scarred in black like veins around his skin and eyes. "I'm dying..." Demon said as now he was on the clock.

"Wh... What?" She asked, shocked by the scars.

"Twenty four hours... that's if I don't move and don't increase my heart rate... it's a neurotoxin venom and a curse... I nearly went insane from this and nearly died twice from it as well..." Demon said calmly.

"… I'm getting the twins now," the dark mage sighed. "Shad as well. He knows poisons better than anyone."

Demon's head slowly tilted down as he closed his eyes, they needed to get Elise, she was proficient at her healing, and helped last time to fight against the curse.

Demon awoke with smoke and darkness around him, Scarlet...the one he knew sat in front of him. "I think this is it for me love..." Demon said to Scarlet.

"Heh... you big lug," she chuckled, punching his shoulder lightly. "This isn't so bad. We've been through worse."

Demon groaned as he crawled over to her, laying his head on her armored lap. "I never wanted this for you...what happened that day...shouldn't have happened." Demon confessed to his long gone lover.

"Ooooh... poor guy," Scarlet smiled at him, rubbing his head. "I want you to listen. It's not too late. Not for any of us. You especially."

"I gave you up... you don't even...like me as much as you did from a time long ago..." Demon struggled to say, as the fire around them slowly rose, in a quiet haze of heat.

Scarlet sighed and kissed his forehead. "I forgive you. That wasn't the me you fell in love with. But I swear, we'll be there with you again soon. You're a good man, Damon. And I'll always love you." The blonde brushed his scalp as he started to drift off.

"I... I watched you burn alive, while I was helpless...while you were still with child...I lost you both..." Demon said in a cracked dried voice.

"It wasn't your fault..." She assured him, kissing his lips as the air started to cool. "You'll see me later, Damon. I love you."

"...mon... D...mon..." Felicia tried to shake him awake, Flora's staff trained on me. "Not... waking up..."

"Stand back!" Shad's voice was faint, but for some reason, Damon clung to it. Magic flowed into Shad's hands as he coated his spell casting hand in electricity. "Thunder!" The shock of the spell forced Damon's heart to pump and his mind to wake up, barely leaving a burn in its wake as the prince was pulled from the brink of death. Demon's eyes widened as he coughed up black blood on his right to his face, as the black marks were still plaguing his veins. "He's awake!" Shad reported, Damon hearing a sigh of relief from pretty much everyone in the army. "Flora, Felicia, get to work! Tharja, how's the counter curse coming?"

"Working on it!" The dark mage growled, trying to put together a spell that would at least help Demon live long enough to get fully healed.

"Damn it..." Demon winced out as he slowly sat up. "How long was I out?" Demon asked them, spitting up more of the black bile.

"A few hours," Shad growled, making thin incisions to draw out the black tar. "Damn it, damn it, damn it! What the fuck happened to you?! This toxin is worse than anything I've ever seen!"

"…. I got this before... It was healed by unnatural means... then fought off by healing magic.." Demon winced standing with his sword supporting him.

"Well, thankfully we have the twins healing you," Shad sighed, pushing him back down so the two maids could keep healing him. "Just stay there. You're not moving until you're better."

"I'm fine... I know of way to keep me...from dying..." Demon said as he concentrate his power. With a quick flash, there were three men... Damon, Demon, and the Instinct Demon. "I separated the curse in to three...it'll buy us a day...maybe two..."

Shad blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes. "That's... trippy..."

"Grrrrrraarrrr... Hello my Ice Queen..." The instinct said to Flora, scooting closer. "Flora keep away from that flying fuck-Libido..." Demon warned Flora.

"He... sounds familiar," Scarlet noted. "Am I the only one thinking that?"

"Not to worry, if you're feeling lonely, you could always hang out with me..." The instinctive Dragon-Demon said to Scarlet.

Shad's eyes turned red as he stood in front of her protectively. "Back off winged lizard, she's mine!" He growled, baring his teeth.

"Jr... put a muzzle on, you don't want to be fucking with a hopped up cursed dragon at the moment...this is final request hours, and if we don't get to Elise or Sakura...within the next two days...the weakest among us will die first."

Shad growled and his wings grew, much to the shock and fear of the Outlanders. "You just need Elise or Sakura, right?"

"Yes but it should probably be done very quietly..." Demon suggested as he regained some of his core strength.

Shad grinned as he flapped his wings. "My specialty."

"Now where is that Rabbit ass Panne, I got a bone to pick with her...Manspawn shit..." The Dragon instinct said, marching towards the camp. Demon sighed as he turned to Flora and Felicia. "I'm sorry, you had to see me like that..." Demon said to the two while Damon stood up to follow the dragon instincts.

"I... Damon, it's okay," Flora assured him, cupping his cheek. "You're alive... that's all that matters."

"uh...actually... that was Damon that went after Flying Libido... I'm a more...aggressive and impassioned Damon... Demon..." Demon informed Flora, holding her hands.

The blue haired maid remained silent for a moment before talking. "This is going to get confusing fast, isn't it?"

"If it pleases you...you can call me Demon... though don't expect us all to be separate for long, soon we'll have to reunite..." Demon sighed as he kissed her hands.

Flora smiled and kissed him. "You'll always be Damon to me. Regardless of form or how many of you there are."

"About earlier Flora...there's a reason why I acted that way..." Demon confessed to his lover, knowing she probably wouldn't understand, or flat out reject the motion that it happened.

"It's fine, love," she giggled, kissing him again. "We're in a bad place and under a lot of stress. You're the last person I blame right now. We can always keep trying until something happens. Unless... there's another reason?" Flora's voice was full of worry as she massaged his back, keeping him in her embrace.

"There is... Flora, I'm from...another...another time, where events are similar to this but with added detail and more faces... I died in that time line...only after watching everyone I ever loved...die before my eyes... you and Max both... when I wanted to make love to you...I saw your bloody mangled corpse... watching me..." Demon confessed to the ice maid.

"… Forgive me if I'm a little skeptical, but... it makes sense in an odd way," Flora sighed. "You started acting strange after we had Max and Felicia gave birth to Anora. And it only got worse after the Outrealmers came in."

"Yes, panic flooded my mind that I wasn't prepared enough to face the oncoming nightmares... challenges... part of me wanted to run... seeing the new faces, told me everything was changing... and I couldn't tell if it was in a good way or in a really bad way... I was afraid that the cycle of defeat would repeat again." Demon said to her fearing the worse.

Flora shushed him as she held his head close to her breast. "Damon... we have an apparently reborn dragon god, a squad of war veterans, two Yuki Onnas, and a berserker Demon. And that's just us on our left foot," she joked. "When we start picking up steam, I promise you, we'll get everything you lost back and then some."

 _ **If you only knew...**_

Demon just embraced her tightly, holding her close.

* * *

Shad touched down on Nohrian soil, dispelling his wings as he looked at the Capital. "Well... guess it's time for my coup de grace as a ninja," he smiled, pulling up his hood and tying a length of cloth over his mouth. "After this... well... I guess I'll keep my training in mind for the future." He rushed to the castle, making sure to keep in the night sky and out of the moonlight as he snuck over the castle's border wall.

He let out a breath as he grabbed a man off the wall and stabbed a dagger into his throat. "Rest in peace..." Shad laid the guard in a brush, out of sight as he snuck in the castle.

 _Quick in and out. Grab Elise, get out, don't draw attention._

That thought went out the window as he spotted a large bag of loot in one of the living quarters.

… _We need the money. Yeah. That's what I'll go with._

Shad swiped the bag of gold and treasure and smiled as he stashed it in his coat before heading to Elise's room, remembering that hers was at the end of the hall. Of course, that is until he found himself dodging an axe blade that tried to take his neck off.

 _Annnnnd this is what I get for being greedy._

"FILTHY LITTLE THIEF!" A noisy blond screeched as she brought her axe down again splintering the floor.

Shad tossed up a barrier that kept the noise from escaping the hallway and jumped back, holding his dagger tightly. "Great... of course it's fucking Charlotte," Shad sighed as he kept his guard up. "Look, I'll return the money if that's what you want! Just let me get what I came her for and I'll be on my way."

"BLOODY LITTLE THIEVES STEALING MY GOLD! _**MY GOLD!**_ " Charlotte brought down her axe again.

Shad dodged again and threw the bag at her, hitting the ground with a thunk. "There! Happy now?!"

The angry blonde quickly got to her feet and made a mad dash towards Shad. _**"GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE THIEF!"**_ Charlotte screamed.

The tactician sighed, knowing she wouldn't let up until she was beaten down or he lost her, and she'd raise an alarm in the latter. "Fine then..."

Charlotte tripped forward causing her to fly right at Shad like a flaming projectile.

* _ **SMMMOOOOSH...**_ *

Charlotte's armor became undone around her chest, as her breasts were now out in the open smashing against Shad's face. Shad blushed as the blonde's breasts were firmly pressed into his face.

 _Oh dear gods... I'm so fucking dead now._

Shad shoved her off, making sure his mask was still on. "… In my own defense... you fell. I did nothing to instigate that at all." The prince made an effort block her breasts from sight, keeping an eye on her at the same time.

… _But gods damn it did those feel nice..._

Charlotte gasped as her face shot upwards her left breast navigated and popped her nipple in Shad's mouth. " _ **Nyyyaaaahahhhhhhh!**_ B-Bad! Thief!" Charlotte cried out.

… _I feel like the gods are trying to tell me something... but hey, they've been screwing me over so far so..._

Shad pushed her off and resisted the urge to lick his lips. "If I didn't know any better, you're trying to do this on purpose..."

"P-pervert thief! CREEP!" Charlotte, screeched as her left arm concealed her nipples and her right hand swung her axe.

Shad smirked as he remembered his research on the woman and blocked her attack with his sword. "Scratch that... I know you are." He gazed into her light blue eyes menacingly. Charlotte screamed and charged at him with Shad quickly in a fast motion navigating out of her charge, as his hands went around her white tight...panties. At that moment, Shad decided to use his 'taunting' tactics. "… Were you just going to bed or something? I mean it'd explain why I ended up getting caught by you returning to your room buuut..." He ripped off her underwear and moved his hands to her breasts, giving them a squeeze quickly. "With these in the way, I'm surprised you saw me at all." He laughed tauntingly as he jumped back while spanking her lightly, intending to bring out the real her.

Charlotte gasped as she fell on her breasts breaking her fall with her ass sticking up in the air, as she slid across the floor. "And I heard you were the strongest person in the army bar Damon and Garon," Shad teased her with a smile. "Turns out you're just a ditzy klutz who's hungry for a husband. I've seen street walkers with more clothing on than you." Shad immediately pinned her as she tried to attack him. "Sadly though, I'm on a mission, so I'm going to have to kindly ask you to go to fucking sleep. That or I take you back to base with me. Your call."

"You perverted thief! You're going to steal the ultimate treasure of mine... my innocence!" Charlotte cried out with her hands covering her pussy.

"… Cut it with the girly attitude already, I'm not buying it," Shad deadpanned. "And if I wanted it that badly, I'd break your limbs to make sure you don't turn my spine into a broken twig."

"EEEHHH?! Y-you monster! You're a thieving monster! You cruel monster! " Charlotte cried out.

"Oh my fucking..." Shad growled, showing off some of his dragon features as he looked into her eyes. " _Yes! I'm a fucking monster! I have been for years! Now would you kindly fuck off with acting like a damn flower?!_ "

Charollte submitted before the beast as she gripped her cheeks and spread them. "Then take what you want! I give! You earned it!" She protested.

Shad's eye twitched and he let out a long sigh. "Uhhhh... what the hell are you doing?" He asked, deactivating Dragon Fang.

"Y-You came here for my treasure and innocence..." Charlotte stated.

"… No. No I didn't. I came here for Elise because my brother is fucking dying and need a decent healer. And frankly? The twin maids are gone so... yeah. She's all that's left." Shad left out that the 'brother' was Demon who was dying of a nasty curse. "Now then, if you are _quite_ down making a literal ass of yourself, I have a princess to kidnap and a brother to save. Besides, I'm poor as shit. You'd be sending your parents pennies if you tried to hire on my crew."

 _Mainly because most of what we get will be going to the war fund, but still._

"Eh? _**COME BACK AND FINISH WHAT YOU WERE ROBBING!**_ " Charlotte screamed out.

Shad's eye twitched as he turned on her. "Okay, seriously! I'm a poor as hell _thief_! I'm here to kidnap Elise and all you can care about is me shoving my cock in you?! What the actual-" The prince paused, realizing something.

 _I reveal who I really am, she'll be all over me. Granted, I don't usually do relationships like that, but she's literally the strongest woman in the army, contesting Damon for that spot. I literally have an opportunity to get us another ace early._

"… You know what? Fine." Shad pulled down his hood and face mask. "Recognize me at all?" For the first time, he gave Charlotte a good look. She kept her hair tied up with a white ribbon, and her curves were only beaten by Camilla and maybe Tharja. And, despite being a warrior, she had few scars on her body.

"….. _ **PRINCE SHAAAAAADD?!**_ " Charlotte screamed out in shock.

"Shhh!" Shad growled, clasping a hand over her mouth. "Yes, I'm prince Shad. Damon is dying and needs Elise to save him, so I'll cut to the chase. I'll hire you on as my soldier, grab Elise, and I'll pay you a thousand gold a week. Does that work for you?" Charlotte collapsed in shock her face going pale white as her coffers dropped out of her satchel around her waist. Shad sighed and took out his tome. "Thunder." He sent a spark of electricity into her, not really hurting but doing more than enough to bring her back to reality. "Come on honey trap. I haven't gotten all night."

Shad offered his hand to her. "Make your choice; join me or stay here," he ordered, using his other hand to pull his hood and mask back up. Subtly though, it went for a toxin he made that gave the victim slight amnesia, in case she should stay in Garon's army.

* * *

 _Cut! Cliffhanger for not one of the princes, but Charlotte this time! Yes, she's getting Shad. A more brutish girl to balance out Shad's quick and clean methods... well, outside of his brother. Outside of that, a bit of bond building between the brothers and the rest of the cast._

 _ **The curse has returned and has afflicted Demon, luckily his past experience with it has taught him a way to slow it down, Shad has time, but not much time to spare as the venom works fast. I also like to tell you we have pushed ourselves in to overdrive for the week, Real life situations have come up and we will be forced to randomly drop in a chapter for a fic, until we handle this... that being said Co-writers are needed, so if you enjoy writing, contact me or LyokoDragon15, and we'll vet you through and see how you handle.**_

 _Yeah, life's been rough… But back to story matters, you gave him three days and Shad can teleport back to the Dragon Realm. He has plenty of time by those standards._

 _ **Demon...not so much XD even if he has a big heart...**_

 _ **-Starknight'Renegade-**_

 _ **-Thank You-**_

 _-Hope you enjoyed-_

 _-LyokoDragon15-_


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